Five New Year’s Resolutions
that Help Oregon’s Desert and You

Andrew Sambuceto

voices

Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

“Protecting public land is part of my spiritual being. It’s central to my identity to be in wilderness and to see it protected.” Durlin is proud to protect public lands for future generations, saying, “The highlight of my childhood was our family’s weekend outdoor trips. I look forward to my grandchildren having similar experiences outside in their lifetimes, and it wouldn’t be possible without ONDA.”

fact

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Blue Mountains to the north, Oregon’s high desert covers approximately 24,000 square miles. Annual rainfall in the high desert varies from 5 to 14 inches. The average elevation is 4,000 feet; at 9,733 feet, the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest point in Oregon’s high desert. The terrain of the high desert was mostly formed by a series of lava flows that occurred between 30 and 10 million years ago.

Sources: The Oregon Encyclopedia; Wikipedia  

watch

Stewardship Fence Building Timelapse

Stewardship Fence Building Timelapse

Our Commitment to
Justice, Equity and Inclusion

Oregon Natural Desert Association is pursuing equity in environmental conservation because everyone deserves clean air, clean water and access to open, wild spaces. America’s public lands and waters can contribute to all of these essential basic needs when all people have equal access to them, when all feel welcome in them, and when they are […]

Read More

Nominate a Wild and Scenic River

Senator Ron Wyden is calling for Oregonians to help him develop legislation to protect Oregon’s most special rivers, and he wants to hear from YOU! Please edit the message below to include any additional river(s) or creek(s) you would like to nominate and why. It’s also great to talk about your personal connection to the […]

Read More

Category: How-To

Learn a new skill that will help you enjoy and protect the high desert.

Five New Year’s Resolutions
that Help Oregon’s Desert and You

By on January 2, 2020 | Posted in: How-To

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s no denying that New Year’s resolutions are a thing. In “8 Reasons We Really Do Need to Make Resolutions,” Dr. Theo Tsaousides concludes that goals keep people connected. As he writes, “Common goals are the foundational block upon which we build communities. From families to sports teams, from small start-ups to...

Read More

How To Upcycle
Last Year’s Wild Desert Calendar

By on December 9, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar is chock full of desert beauty, and, each year around this time, we hear from members who simply can’t bear to just throw last year’s calendar away. Here’s an easy craft project that will allow you to upcycle all those gorgeous landscapes, by turning those pages into envelopes.  

Read More

Opt Outside,
Act for Desert Rivers

By on November 25, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

Escape the Black Friday crowds and #OptOutside to a wild river near you! Sen. Ron Wyden is asking Oregonians to help him develop legislation to protect Oregon’s most special rivers, and he wants to hear from YOU. The day after Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to take your family and friends on a hike...

Read More

5 Unique Ways to Give

By on November 12, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

An inky night sky studded with endless stars. Quirky sage-grouse dancing at dawn. A soothing soak in a peaceful hot spring. Discovering delicate desert blooms. Spotting soaring migratory birds. That’s my personal top five list of desert wonders. What’s yours? Your list of reasons to love Oregon’s desert may be different than mine, but...

Read More

Only You Can Prevent
Sagebrush Fires

By on July 1, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

You might think of forests when you think “wildfire,” but, as OPB reported in May, nearly 75 percent of all acres burned in the west over the past two decades were on rangelands — not forest. As someone who lives in or visits sagebrush country, you have an important responsibility to help prevent human-caused...

Read More

How To: Raft the Lower Owyhee

By on May 14, 2019 | Posted in: How-To, Where-to

Rafting the lower Owyhee River is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that introduces you to some of the most spectacular and untouched high desert landscapes found in eastern Oregon. Deep canyon walls, riverside camps, and hikes climbing to sweeping vistas are all highlights of this trip. Just be sure to gather some information ahead of time...

Read More

Dark Desert Skies

By on March 29, 2019 | Posted in: How-To, Where-to

For those of us who have spent time in Oregon’s high desert, there is no need to explain how truly dark skies showcase the wonders of the stars viewable by the naked eye. Night skies relatively free from light pollution — that is, human-created artificial lighting and atmospheric disturbances such as smog — will...

Read More

Happy Birthday!
Oregon Desert Trail Turns Five

By on March 20, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

In the spring of 2014, ONDA released a basic map-set for an ambitious route we’d started to call the “Oregon Desert Trail.” It wasn’t long before a few hikers set their sights on completing the route. Over the past five years, we’ve developed and refined many new resources to make our challenging eastern Oregon...

Read More

How to Shoot a Desert Video

By on February 25, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

Videos can tell stories, convey ideas and immerse the viewer into an environment in ways that are difficult to achieve with photographs or the written word. And, with many video cameras becoming better and more affordable and a number of free editing programs available, creating videos has become increasingly accessible. Perhaps you’d like to...

Read More

How to Shoot a Desert Video

By on February 25, 2019 | Posted in: How-To

Did you already read How to Shoot a Desert Video – Part 1 that covers planning for and shooting your video?  If so, check out this post to get some pointers on how to turn your raw footage into a final product! Editing 1. Determine the right length for your video For the kind of...

Read More