Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell | Published: March 31, 2026 | Category: Notes from the Desert
This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2026 Desert Ramblings Newsletter.
Volunteers rally together to care for a river they love
The South Fork Crooked River rises from springs amidst central Oregon’s sagebrush sea. Once a flourishing ecosystem, heavy agricultural use and the eradication of beaver by trappers diminished the quality of the area’s fish and wildlife habitat. But now, thanks to ONDA’s restoration efforts, the watershed is beginning to show signs of recovery.
Dense patches of willow and cottonwood are again growing along the river in ONDA’s restoration areas, and beavers are building dams and creating wetlands that support an abundance of life. Still, much of the watershed remains out of balance. So when the area saw heavy snow and rain last winter, the South Fork was susceptible to unnaturally powerful floods.
The following spring, when Bill and Cindy Hull joined 19 other ONDA volunteers on a stewardship trip to the South Fork Crooked River, they were shocked by what they saw. Floodwaters had torn through ONDA’s restoration plantings and the temporary fences volunteers had built to protect them, leaving behind wire mesh tangled with flood debris strewn along the banks.
“It was pretty devastating to see all of that damage to the work we’ve done out there,” Bill said.
While out walking along the river one evening, Bill was startled by the splash of a beaver’s tail. This was the first time he had witnessed evidence of beavers since he started volunteering on the South Fork with ONDA in 2018. It was right then that an idea popped into his head.
After returning home from the trip, Bill and Cindy got in touch with Jefferson Jacobs, ONDA’s restoration manager, to share their idea. They wanted to rally other volunteers they had formed friendships with over their years of working at the South Fork to help clean up the mess made by the floods. Jefferson gladly took the Hulls up on their offer.
Bill and Cindy sprang into action, organizing a nine-person work party. They spent several summer days working on the landscape and returned again with a smaller group in the fall. Their efforts cleared the way for a family of beavers, who had just welcomed a pair of baby kits, to begin utilizing trees planted by volunteers in 2019.
In recognition of the Hulls exceptional commitment to the South Fork Crooked River, ONDA selected Bill and Cindy as the recipients of our 2025 Conservationist of the Year Award.
The Hulls are quick to point out, however, that this is not about them as individuals. This unique effort is a testament to the strength of the entire ONDA community and the commitment of the thousands of supporters who step up time and again when the high desert needs their help.
