Oregon Natural Desert Association

Dive into the Hive: Explore the World of High Desert Bees
2024-01-23 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for the inaugural event of the 2024 High Desert Speaker Series—a captivating online presentation delving into the diverse species of bees thriving in Oregon’s high desert. Presenter Lincoln Best, Oregon Bee Atlas’ melittologist, will guide us through an exploration of the unique bees residing in iconic desert landscapes such as the Owyhee Canyonlands, Steens Mountain and Greater Hart-Sheldon. This visual presentation combines detailed photographs showcasing desert bees with insights into their pollination habits, lifestyles, and ecology. Discover the fascinating world of these vital pollinators, from rare endemic species to the challenges they face in their natural habitats. Uncover the hidden wonders of bees and learn about how conservation can support the crucial roles these bees play in the delicate balance of Oregon’s high desert ecosystem.
Watch a Recording of this Event.

About the Presenter
Lincoln Best is a Faculty Research Assistant at Oregon State University Cooperative Extension and works on the Master Melittologist program and Oregon Bee Atlas. He instructs the Oregon Native Bee School Intermediate and Advanced courses.

Event Photo: Greta Nehrenberg

A Journey Through the Owyhee Canyonlands
2024-02-08 18:30 - 19:30
Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands is one of the largest conservation opportunities in the country. Join Oregon Natural Desert Association Board Members, Elisa Cheng and Natasha Bellis, at a 2024 High Desert Speaker Series event as they reflect on their spring rafting trip down the Owyhee River on an exploration of this incomparable region. They’ll discuss the Owyhee’s awe-inspiring natural landscapes, rich culture and history, key wildlife habitats and many recreation opportunities. Karly Foster, ONDA’s Campaign Manager, will share conservation advocacy initiatives you can support to counter threats to the region and ensure that the Owyhee is protected.
Watch a recording of this event.

About the Presenters
Elisa Cheng grew up in California and Hawaii. She launched her web design career in 2002 spending a few years at an eCommerce company before realizing that her passion was in helping non-profits. From there she moved into a role helping non-profits of all sizes with their online presence. She now works as a digital consultant helping small businesses and non-profits expand their digital presence through SEO, marketing, web design, social media, and digital strategy. Elisa moved to Bend, Oregon from Honolulu, Hawaii in 2010 and loves all of the outdoor opportunities right out her door in Bend.

Growing up in Wyoming and Utah, Natasha Bellis gained an early appreciation for wild and open spaces. Cultivating a love of the desert by roaming the canyon lands of southern Utah, she was inspired to pursue a career in environmental science and has spent the past 20 years working to conserve land and water in Oregon. Natasha is currently the Conservation Director at Deschutes Land Trust where she oversees land protection transactions for the organization, Prior to that, she worked to restore streamflow to Oregon’s rivers and streams by negotiating environmental water right transactions for the Deschutes River Conservancy and The Freshwater Trust. Natasha has lived in Bend since 2015 and is excited to contribute to ONDA’s impactful work conserving Oregon’s bountiful high desert.

As ONDA’s Campaign Manager, Karly Foster develops and executes conservation campaign initiatives across millions of acres of Oregon’s high desert public lands at the local, regional and national levels and with Tribal Nations, by building relationships with diverse stakeholders and community partners to secure protection for public lands, waters and wildlife. Karly grew up in the western Willamette Valley and as a fourth-generation Pacific City, Dory-fisher, her summers were spent fishing with her family in the Pacific Ocean. She received her bachelor’s in socio-cultural anthropology and Indigenous Nations studies at Portland State University. During undergrad, she attended Tatoosh School in the Tongass National Forest, studying southeast Alaska ecology and policy of place. Karly followed the coastal winds and eventually lived on organic farms in Aotearoa (New Zealand), where her views of what conservation, natural resource management, and Indigenous rights can look like, expanded. Karly graduated from the McCall Field Campus of the University of Idaho with a master’s degree in environmental science and a certificate in environmental education and science communications in 2022. Her next stop was a research assistantship with a National Science Foundation grant in the Rocky Mountains, which reignited her love for the ponderosa pine forests and sagebrush meadows she’d grown up with while camping in Central Oregon. Karly is excited to grow with ONDA in this beautiful place, learn of all the socio-ecological intricacies of Oregon’s high desert and be a strong advocate for its eternal prosperity.

Photo: Dale Nibbe

Cultivating Partnerships: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Science in Land Stewardship (Bend)
2024-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Spend an evening with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, a community ecologist and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Director of Tribal Initiatives at Oregon State University, as part of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series.
Dr. Eisenberg will share learnings from her land stewardship research focused on ecocultural restoration. This event will explore how a merging of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science – a concept called Two-Eyed Seeing – can build cross-cultural partnerships and projects that conserve landscapes and elevate indigenous communities.
ONDA’s Stewardship Director, Gena Goodman-Campbell, will join to delve into the current steps ONDA is taking to restore Oregon’s high desert in partnership with local tribes.
You’ll leave this event with a better understanding of how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science can be used to create sustainable and resilient natural systems.
ONDA is working to make our events as accessible as possible, and this event will feature an American Sign Language interpreter.
View the slides from this presentation.
If you would like to attend but experience a barrier to purchasing a ticket, please contact kdiaz@onda.org

About the Presenters

Dr. Cristina Eisenberg is the Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Maybelle Clark Macdonald Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources at Oregon State University in the College of Forestry (CoF) and Professor of Practice. In the CoF she is the director of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Lab, and the Indigenous Natural Resource Office. As a Native American and Latinx ecologist, she leads several long-term ecological restoration projects, including the BLM /OSU/Fort Belknap Grassland Restoration Project on the Northern Plains of Montana, and the Pacific Northwest Tribal Conservation Corps Pilot Project for Seeds of Success, which involves working with five of the Tribal Nations in Oregon. All the projects she leads incorporate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and best Western science into ecocultural restoration practice. She works with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the US Forest Service, the US Congress, and the Bureau of Land Management to advise them on IK and Tribal Sovereignty and how to partner with Tribal Nations. Cristina is a Director at Large on the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Board of Directors. She leads the SER TEK Working Group and is the author of numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters.

As ONDA’s Stewardship Director, Gena Goodman-Campbell engages ONDA’s community in hands-on restoration projects that improve desert habitat in key watersheds and migration corridors. After growing up in Portland, Gena graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College with a focus on international conflict resolution. Drawn back home to Oregon, she joined the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) at Central Oregon Community College to organize voter mobilization campaigns, petition drives, and wilderness hikes. Gena then joined ONDA as our Badlands Wilderness Coordinator and has been with ONDA for 17 years. Gena was elected to a four-year term on the Bend City Council in November 2018 and recently concluded serving as Mayor of Bend.

Photo: John Aylward

Cultivating Partnerships: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Science in Land Stewardship (Portland)
2024-03-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon, 97212
Spend an evening with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, a community ecologist and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Director of Tribal Initiatives at Oregon State University, as part of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series.
Dr. Eisenberg will share learnings from her land stewardship research focused on ecocultural restoration. This event will explore how a merging of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science – a concept called Two-Eyed Seeing – can build cross-cultural partnerships and projects that conserve landscapes and elevate indigenous communities.
ONDA’s Stewardship Director, Gena Goodman-Campbell, will join to delve into the current steps ONDA is taking to restore Oregon’s high desert in partnership with local tribes.
You’ll leave this event with a better understanding of how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science can be used to create sustainable and resilient natural systems.
View the slides from this presentation.

ONDA is working to make our events as accessible as possible, and this event will feature an American Sign Language interpreter.
If you would like to attend but experience a barrier to purchasing a ticket, please contact ccekander@onda.org
Thank you to WYLD for supporting high desert conservation and sponsoring this event.

About the Presenters

Dr. Cristina Eisenberg is the Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Maybelle Clark Macdonald Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources at Oregon State University in the College of Forestry (CoF) and Professor of Practice. In the CoF she is the director of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Lab, and the Indigenous Natural Resource Office. As a Native American and Latinx ecologist, she leads several long-term ecological restoration projects, including the BLM /OSU/Fort Belknap Grassland Restoration Project on the Northern Plains of Montana, and the Pacific Northwest Tribal Conservation Corps Pilot Project for Seeds of Success, which involves working with five of the Tribal Nations in Oregon. All the projects she leads incorporate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and best Western science into ecocultural restoration practice. She works with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the US Forest Service, the US Congress, and the Bureau of Land Management to advise them on IK and Tribal Sovereignty and how to partner with Tribal Nations. Cristina is a Director at Large on the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Board of Directors. She leads the SER TEK Working Group and is the author of numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters.

As ONDA’s Stewardship Director, Gena Goodman-Campbell engages ONDA’s community in hands-on restoration projects that improve desert habitat in key watersheds and migration corridors. After growing up in Portland, Gena graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College with a focus on international conflict resolution. Drawn back home to Oregon, she joined the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) at Central Oregon Community College to organize voter mobilization campaigns, petition drives, and wilderness hikes. Gena then joined ONDA as our Badlands Wilderness Coordinator and has been with ONDA for 17 years. Gena was elected to a four-year term on the Bend City Council in November 2018 and recently concluded serving as Mayor of Bend.

Photo: John Aylward

Tracing Geological History Through Rocks and Minerals in Oregon's Desert (Portland)
2024-04-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon, 97212
Join us for the final events of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series, featuring Alison Jean Cole—an author, rockhound, and lapidary artist. In this informative talk, Alison will showcase the rock and mineral treasures of Oregon’s desert. Obsidian, jasper, opal, and petrified wood each tell a unique story about the fascinating geological history of our region. Glimpses of Oregon’s earliest cultures can be traced through these stone materials, which have been sought after for thousands of years. Come learn how the practice of rock collecting has transformed over the centuries, and how it can be balanced with conservation efforts in our modern world.
ONDA is working to make our events as accessible as possible, and this event will feature an American Sign Language interpreter.
This event has passed.
If you would like to attend but experience a barrier to purchasing a ticket, please contact ccekander@onda.org

About the Presenter
Alison Jean Cole is a geology enthusiast based in Portland, Oregon. She travels all over the western United States in search of materials to use in her lapidary craft. She leads rockhounding expeditions, is a proud member of her local rock club, and self-publishes Thunderegg, a zine that focuses on the changing face of rockhounding culture. Her first book, Beautiful Rocks & How to Find Them will be out in March 2024.

Photo: Alison Jean Cole

Tracing Geological History Through Rocks and Minerals in Oregon's Desert (Bend)
2024-04-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us for the final events of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series, featuring Alison Jean Cole—an author, rockhound, and lapidary artist. In this informative talk, Alison will showcase the rock and mineral treasures of Oregon’s desert. Obsidian, jasper, opal, and petrified wood each tell a unique story about the fascinating geological history of our region. Glimpses of Oregon’s earliest cultures can be traced through these stone materials, which have been sought after for thousands of years. Come learn how the practice of rock collecting has transformed over the centuries, and how it can be balanced with conservation efforts in our modern world.
ONDA is working to make our events as accessible as possible, and this event will feature an American Sign Language interpreter.
This event has passed.
Tracing Geological History Through Rocks and Minerals in Oregon’s Desert will be held at the Tower Theatre in Bend.
If you would like to attend but experience a barrier to purchasing a ticket, please contact kdiaz@onda.org

Thank you to Sierra James Construction for supporting high desert conservation and sponsoring this event.

About the Presenter
Alison Jean Cole is a geology enthusiast based in Portland, Oregon. She travels all over the western United States in search of materials to use in her lapidary craft. She leads rockhounding expeditions, is a proud member of her local rock club, and self-publishes Thunderegg, a zine that focuses on the changing face of rockhounding culture. Her first book, Beautiful Rocks & How to Find Them will be out in March 2024.

Photo: Gina Bringman

A Year in the Life: Oregon’s Desert Owls
2025-02-04 18:00 - 19:00
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association as we kick off our 2025 High Desert Speaker Series with an absorbing evening all about high desert owls. Paul Bannick, acclaimed author and wildlife photographer, will take you through four seasons in the lives of these owls to give you a better appreciation of what they need to survive and thrive in each season. With stunning, intimate images, Paul will bring the stories of these adorable yet fierce predators to life and reveal their unique roles in the high desert ecosystem from its driest lands to its ponderosa pine woodlands.
From the enigmatic burrowing owl to the tiny-but-ferocious northern pygmy-owl and more, you’ll learn about their habitat, life histories and the urgent conservation challenges they face. Don’t miss this chance to soar into the world of Oregon’s high desert owls.
This event has passed.

This is a free, virtual event. Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership.

Raffle
The 2025 High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Osprey, Andina Restaurant, Willamette Valley Vineyards, MiiR, Kleen Kanteen, and Portland Leather Company. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 21. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!

Sponsors
Thank you to Killian Pacific, our presenting sponsor for the High Desert Speaker Series.

The High Desert Speaker Series is also generously sponsored by:

About the Presenter
Paul Bannick is an award-winning author and wildlife photographer specializing in the natural history of North America with a focus on birds and habitat. Paul is both the author and photographer of two best-selling bird books, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls and The Owl and The Woodpecker, Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds. Paul’s photography won awards from several prestigious photography contests, including those hosted by Audubon Magazine and the International Conservation Photography Awards.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.
Event Photo: Paul Bannick

Tiny Titans: Insects of the High Desert
2025-02-20 19:00 - 20:00
Get ready for an exciting exploration into the crucial role insects play in Oregon’s high desert. Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series continues with Dr. Tara Cornelisse, invertebrate zoologist, as she provides insights into the fascinating butterflies, moths and beetles residing in eastern Oregon. Tara will examine the current state of insect populations, share facts and stories about key species in the high desert, and highlight why conserving the high desert is vital for the future of insect populations and the entire ecosystem.

This event has passed. View the recording here.

This is a free, virtual event. Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership.

Raffle
The 2025 High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Osprey, Andina Restaurant, Willamette Valley Vineyards, MiiR, Kleen Kanteen, and Portland Leather Company. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 21. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!

Sponsors
Thank you to WYLD for sponsoring this event and our work restoring high desert ecosystems.

Thank you to Visit Bend for sponsoring this event and high desert conservation.

Thank you to Killian Pacific, our presenting sponsor for the High Desert Speaker Series.

The High Desert Speaker Series is also generously sponsored by:

About the Presenter
Tara Cornelisse is an Invertebrate Zoologist at NatureServe and has over 15 years of experience in entomology and conservation biology. She earned a B.A. in Biology from Boston University, where she worked on termite social behavior, an M.S. from San Francisco State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California Santa Cruz, focusing on tiger beetle conservation. Before joining NatureServe, Tara worked in land conservation and as a Senior Scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, working on pollinator conservation. She has also served as a postdoctoral scholar at the American Museum of Natural History and an Assistant Professor in Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation at Canisius College.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.
Event Photo: Holly Christiansen

Fossils and the Future: Lessons from Oregon’s Ecological Past
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:00
Spend an evening with Oregon Natural Desert Association as we continue the High Desert Speaker Series by uncovering the fossilized world of eastern Oregon. Dr. Samantha Hopkins, University of Oregon Professor and Earth Sciences Department Head, will take us on a journey through time as she reveals what Oregon’s high desert fossils tell us about the past, present and future. We’ll explore a few fossilized mammals of eastern Oregon and discover what these creatures tell us about the desert ecosystem 30 million years ago. Samantha will also explain how fossils reveal changes in ecosystems and communities over time and what those shifts can tell us about our future in a changing climate.
This event has passed. Get the recording here.

Raffle
The 2025 High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Osprey, Andina Restaurant, Willamette Valley Vineyards, MiiR, Kleen Kanteen, and Portland Leather Company. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 21. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!

Sponsors
Thank you to Killian Pacific, our presenting sponsor for the High Desert Speaker Series.

The High Desert Speaker Series is also generously sponsored by:

About the Presenter
Samantha Hopkins studies the evolution of ecology in fossil mammals over the last 30 million years using a variety of tools, from evolutionary biology to field paleontology and sedimentology. She is particularly interested in the role of environmental change in shaping the evolution of small mammal communities, and she has studied Cenozoic terrestrial ecosystems in the western U.S. and Kyrgyzstan to understand how factors like climate and vegetation change and landscape evolution have driven evolution both within individual mammalian lineages and across whole communities of animals.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.
Event Photo: Peter Nicholas

Beneath the Surface: Desert Mussels
2025-03-19 18:00 - 19:00
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for the final event of the High Desert Speaker Series as we dive beneath the surface of high desert streams and into the hidden world of mussels. Alexa Martinez, Wildlife Biologist at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, will shed light on the fascinating lives of native mollusks thriving in the waterways of eastern Oregon. Alexa will share the unique habitat of each mussel species and discuss how snowmelt feeds the watersheds that sustain these creatures. Come learn how these often-overlooked species play a critical role in maintaining the health of the desert ecosystems.

This event has passed. View the recording here.

Raffle
The 2025 High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Osprey, Andina Restaurant, Willamette Valley Vineyards, MiiR, Kleen Kanteen, and Portland Leather Company. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 21. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!

Sponsors
Thank you to Killian Pacific, our presenting sponsor for the High Desert Speaker Series.

The High Desert Speaker Series is also generously sponsored by:

About the Presenter
Alexa Martinez has served as the Wildlife Biologist at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge since 2017. Originally from the Southwest, she moved to Harney County for a permanent position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Alexa holds a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University, where she was deeply involved in student chapters like The Wildlife Society and the American Fisheries Society and gained hands-on experience in wildlife management and restoration projects. In her role at the Malheur NWR, Alexa works across various programs including wildlife, fisheries, habitat and visitor services.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.
Event Photo: ONDA Staff

Sagebrush Social (Portland)
2025-06-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Peninsula Park, 700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR, 97217, United States
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Portland celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities. We’ll have complimentary light appetizers from Oven and Shaker and Por Qué No as well as Oakshire Brewing beer, wine and Polar Seltzer.
Hear from our executive director, Ryan Houston, as he shares insights into ONDA’s conservation work, and learn how you can take action and advocate for the protection of Oregon’s high desert.
Plus, don’t miss a creative and compelling visual presentation by Mark Salvo, our conservation director, as he demonstrates how ONDA’s community of advocates have secured strong and strategic protections in Oregon’s high desert, conserving wild lands, waters and wildlife now and for generations to come.
Planning your next desert adventure? Our knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions, share resources and offer expert guidance about ways to experience the high desert. We’ll also have opportunities to test your knowledge with a few rounds of high desert team trivia. All levels of expertise are welcome, and there will be great prizes from NOW Yoga, Yoga Refuge, Unfold Yoga and Meditation, Modo Yoga, Klean Kanteen and Belmont Books up for grabs.
All attendees will receive a coupon for one free week of yoga at Yoyoyogi and be entered to win prizes from Andina Restaurant, Portland Playhouse and Sebastiano’s.
Mark your calendar now and stay tuned for more details. This event is free and open to ONDA supporters and desert-enthusiasts, so bring a friend! No registration required.

Thank you to Cactus Blossom LLC for supporting high desert conservation and this event.

Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.
Please note: This event will be hosted on the west side of Peninsula Park at Picnic Shelter A. We encourage folks to walk, bike, or take public transit, but public street parking is available.

Event Photo: James Parsons

Oregon’s Desert in Print
2025-10-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Barrel Room at UPP Liquids, 550 SW Industrial Way, Ste. 185, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Oregon’s Desert in Print is an exclusive showcase of compelling landscape and wildlife photography from Oregon’s iconic high desert places. This collection of images highlights the wonders of eastern Oregon’s public lands and supports conservation of the region’s extraordinary land, waters and wildlife.
Join us at UPP Liquids Barrel Room (formerly Immersion Brewing) in the Box Factory to see these inspiring images in print. Featured photographers will be on site to share their work, and the event will also include desert conservation updates, advocacy opportunities, and giveaways.
Attending Oregon’s Desert in Print is free and open to all, so invite a friend or two to come along. No registration required.
The photographers selected to participate in this event have had their work featured in ONDA’s 2026 Wild Desert Calendar. This beloved publication will be available to purchase with special pricing for event attendees and proceeds supporting vital desert conservation initiatives in Oregon.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the event, and all attendees will be entered in a drawing to win prizes from Wanderlust Tours, Tumalo Creek, Grayl and more.
We hope to see you there!
Thank you to our calendar and event sponsors—The Gear Fix, Summit Conservation Strategies, Strictly Organic Coffee Company, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe and Summer Lake Hot Springs—for supporting vital conservation efforts in Oregon’s high desert.
If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.

Photo: Dan Hawk

High Desert Hootenanny: Portland
2025-11-13 17:00 - 19:00 | KEEN Garage, 515 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR, 97209, United States
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s annual celebration of desert conservation! Commemorate a year of achievements and conservation successes at our High Desert Hootenanny in Portland.
Hear highlights from this year’s conservation initiatives and habitat restoration work from Executive Director Ryan Houston and learn about what’s to come in the year ahead. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to advocate for high desert lands, waters and wildlife.
Enjoy live music from Hillbilly Supper Club and complimentary light appetizers from Pizza Thief and Mississippi Pizza, craft beer from Oakshire Brewing, Claim 52 Brewing and Falling Sky Brewing, Soter Vineyards wine, a desert-themed mocktail and Polar Seltzer while spending time with our community of dedicated desert-enthusiasts.
We’ll also have an optional game of high desert bingo to spark connection with fellow desert advocates, and chances to win fantastic prizes from Portland Leather, Portland Center Stage, Thai Peacock, Khao Moo Dang, Solabee Flowers, Providore Fine Foods, YoYoYogi and Lloyd Athletic Club. Attendees will receive a coupon for one free week of yoga at YoYoYogi (while supplies last).
This event is free and open to the public, so invite a friend and join the celebration! No registration necessary.

Thank you to our event sponsor.

Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.

Photo: James Parsons

High Desert Hootenanny: Bend
2025-12-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Aspen Hall, 18920 NW Shevlin Park Rd, Bend, 97701
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s annual celebration of desert conservation! Commemorate a year of achievements and conservation successes at our High Desert Hootenanny in Bend.
Hear highlights from this year’s conservation and stewardship initiatives from Executive Director Ryan Houston and learn what’s to come in the year ahead.
Enjoy live music from Honey Don’t, light appetizers from Cotto Bend, Cascade Lakes Brewing beer, cider from Bend Cider Company wine, and a desert themed mocktail. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to advocate for high desert lands, waters and wildlife.
We’ll also have an optional game of high desert bingo to spark connection with fellow desert advocates and great giveaways from local favorites like Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe , Lake Creek Lodge, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Barre3, Cafe Mam, High Desert Museum and more!
This event is free and open to the public, so invite a friend and join the celebration! No registration necessary.
Thank you Bend Cider Company and Focus Physical Therapy for supporting high desert conservation and this event.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.
Photo Credit: Deigh Bates

Brilliant Beavers: Cultivating Climate Resilience
2026-01-27 19:00 - 20:00
Join us at Oregon Natural Desert Association’s first online event of the 2026 High Desert Speaker Series with an evening all about beavers. Come learn about the important role of beavers in helping wildlife adapt and ecosystems thrive in a changing climate with Dr. Emily Fairfax, Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota and beaver researcher.
Dr. Fairfax will elaborate on how beavers support a healthy environment, particularly their ability to retain precious desert water and combat drought. She will also outline a natural history of beavers and why we should care about helping them recover their populations in Oregon’s high desert. Jefferson Jacobs, ONDA’s riparian restoration manager, will join to share how our stream restoration work is grounded in creating beaver habitat to support the health of the entire ecosystem.
This event has passed. View the recording here.

Raffle
The High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Andina Restaurant, MiiR, Portland Leather Company and more. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 13. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.

Sponsors
Thank you to WYLD Works and First Interstate Bank for supporting desert conservation and sponsoring the High Desert Speaker Series.

About the Presenters

Emily Fairfax is an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota and an affiliate faculty member at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. Dr. Fairfax double majored in Chemistry and Physics as an undergraduate at Carleton College, then went on to earn a PhD in Geological Sciences with an emphasis in Hydrologic Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. She uses a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and field work to understand how beaver ecosystem engineering can create drought and fire-resistant patches in the landscape under a changing climate. Her research has been featured internationally in National Geographic, the New York Times, the LA Times, PBS, NPR, BBC, and others. When Dr. Fairfax says she can talk about beavers all day, she’s not kidding.

Originally from Maine, Jefferson Jacobs graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and earned a master’s degree at University of Alaska-Fairbanks. At ONDA since 2008, Jefferson designs and implements riparian restoration projects focused on addressing the factors preventing beavers from managing their habitat. This has led to the development of the BeaverHOOD Strategy, which guides a practitioner in achieving the goal of creating more beaver managed floodplains. Jefferson also uses this experience in the field to help inform beaver-related legislation and riparian policy.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.
Event Photo: Tim Lumley

Forged in Fire: The Volcanic Activity that Shaped Oregon’s High Desert
2026-02-11 19:00 - 20:00
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series continues as we uncover the dynamic geologic forces that created eastern Oregon’s stunning landscapes. Dr. Ellen Bishop, author, photographer and geologist, will discuss a recent geological discovery linking the formation of Oregon’s high desert rock formations with the Yellowstone hotspot. Come learn more about how iconic high desert sites came to be, including Steens Mountain, the Owyhee Canyonlands and many others, in this photography-rich and visually engaging presentation.
This event has passed. Watch the recording here.
This is a free, virtual event. Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership.

Raffle
The High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Andina Restaurant, MiiR, Portland Leather Company and more. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 13. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.

Sponsors
Thank you to WYLD Works and First Interstate Bank for supporting desert conservation and sponsoring the High Desert Speaker Series.

About the Presenter
Ellen Morris Bishop is a geologist, photographer and writer whose life’s work has been making science more enjoyable and understandable to non-scientists through images, writing, and field excursions. In 1982 she received a Ph.D. in geology from Oregon State University, with a research specialty in the oldest formations of eastern Oregon. She has taught geology and environmental studies at Oregon State University, the University of Arkansas, and Whitman College, and was recognized as an OSU distinguished alumni fellow. Her books include In Search of Ancient Oregon, Living with Thunder: The geologic and ecologic history of the Pacific Northwest, Best Hikes with Dogs in Oregon, and Hiking Oregon’s Geology. Oregon State University Press has just published Bishop’s latest work, the second edition of Living with Thunder, a book about the Pacific Northwest’s incredible geologic history. She lives near Halfway, Oregon.

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Event Photo: Ellen Bishop

Rooted in Eastern Oregon: High Desert Tree Identification
2026-02-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97202, United States
Come learn something new about the trees that are essential to Oregon’s high desert ecosystem. Casey Clapp, arborist, dendrologist and educator, will be featured at Oregon Natural Desert Association’s third event of the High Desert Speaker Series. Casey will highlight the diverse tree species found in eastern Oregon and will help attendees build their desert tree identification skills. He will also explore how these species interact with the broader desert ecosystem and emphasize the importance of understanding the trees around us as a way to build a deeper relationship with our environment. You’ll leave the event seeing the high desert in an entirely new way.

This event has passed. View a recording of the event here and the presenter’s slides here.

Tickets are $15. This is an in-person event in Portland at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division Street). If you would like to attend but experience a barrier to purchasing a ticket, please contact ccekander@onda.org. ONDA is working to make our events as accessible as possible, and this event will feature an American Sign Language interpreter.

Raffle
The High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Andina Restaurant, MiiR, Portland Leather Company and more. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 13. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.

Sponsors
Thank you to WYLD Works and First Interstate Bank for supporting desert conservation and sponsoring the High Desert Speaker Series.

A special thank you to Visit Bend and Cactus Blossom LLC for sponsoring this event.

About the Presenter
An arborist, a dendrologist, an educator, Casey Clapp has a passion for trees and the world they inhabit—our world. Along with being the principal consultant with Portland Arboriculture, he’s a co-host and co-creator of Completely Arbortrary, a weekly podcast about trees and other related topics, and the author of the new tree identification book The Trees Around You: How to identify common neighborhood trees in the Pacific Northwest. Casey holds advanced degrees in Forestry and Environmental Conservation, and he’s an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, Qualified Tree Risk Assessor, and Certified Urban Forestry Professional.

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Event Photo: James Parsons

A Tribal Family History of the Wadatika'a Band of Northern Paiutes
2026-03-11 19:00 - 20:00
The final event of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series features Dr. Diane Teeman, an archaeologist, scholar and Tribal elder of the of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes. Dr. Teeman will share the history and culture of her family and discuss her work as an anthropologist. She will also highlight the deep connection between cultural traditions and environmental conservation within the Tribe. Ryan Houston, ONDA’s executive director, will briefly highlight the current steps ONDA is taking to conserve Oregon’s high desert in partnership with local Tribes.
This event has passed. View a recording of the event here.
This is a free, virtual event. Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership.

Raffle
The High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Andina Restaurant, MiiR, Portland Leather Company and more. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 13. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration.
100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.

Sponsors
Thank you to WYLD Works and First Interstate Bank for supporting desert conservation and sponsoring the High Desert Speaker Series.

About the Presenters
Dr. Diane Teeman is the president of High Desert Heritage Consultants, LLC. She was formerly director of the Burns Paiute Tribe’s Culture & Heritage Department and a member of the Burns Paiute Tribal Council. She earned her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno, focusing on collaborative and decolonizing methodologies in archaeology. Teeman has spent nearly the past forty years working toward tribal culture and heritage protection and revitalization.

Ryan Houston, ONDA’s Executive Director, has led the organization since 2018, bringing over 20 years of conservation experience. He previously directed the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, building award-winning restoration programs, fostering partnerships and leading research projects. Ryan holds an environmental science degree from UC Berkeley and a master’s in ecology from the University of Arizona. And, today, he and his family spend much of their free time exploring the desert streams and wide open landscapes of central and eastern Oregon.

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Event Photo: John Burkhardt

Sagebrush Social (Portland)
2026-06-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Peninsula Park, 700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR, 97217, United States
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Portland celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities.
Hear from our executive director, Ryan Houston, as he shares insights into ONDA’s conservation work, and learn how you can take action and advocate for the protection of Oregon’s high desert.
Plus, plan your next desert adventure at the Social. Our knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions, share resources and offer expert guidance about ways to experience the high desert. We’ll also have optional opportunities to test your knowledge with a few rounds of high desert team trivia. All levels of expertise are welcome, and there will be great prizes.
We’ll have complimentary light appetizers from Crave Catering, Cheryl’s on 12th and Sebastiano’s, Oakshire Brewing beer, wine and non-alcoholic Polar Seltzer, plus great prizes from local businesses including Portland Playhouse, Belmont Books, ¿Por Qué No? and Patagonia. Plus, all attendees will receive one free week of classes at Yoyoyogi.
This event is free and open to ONDA supporters and desert-enthusiasts, so bring a friend! No registration required, and attendees are welcome to stop by anytime throughout the event.
Thank you to Cactus Blossom LLC for supporting high desert conservation and this event.

Thank you to our generous food and beverage sponsors.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.
Please note: This event will be hosted on the west side of Peninsula Park at Picnic Shelter A. We encourage folks to walk, bike, or take public transit, but public street parking is available.

Event Photo: Jim Davis

Sagebrush Social (Bend)
2026-06-10 17:00 - 19:00 | Miller’s Landing, 55 NW Riverside Blvd, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Bend celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities. We’ll have complimentary light appetizers from Pizza Mondo, beer from Worthy Brewing, and other refreshing beverages. You’ll also have the opportunity to win great prizes from Namaspa Yoga, The Athletic Club of Bend, Sunriver Brewing, Newport Market, and Bend Pizza Kitchen.
Hear from our executive director, Ryan Houston, as he shares insights into ONDA’s conservation work, and learn how you can take action and advocate for the protection of Oregon’s high desert.
Mark your calendar now and stay tuned for more details. This event is free and open to ONDA supporters and desert-enthusiasts, so bring a friend! No registration required.
If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.
Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors!

Event Photo: Mark Darnell

Hart Mountain Beaver Dam Analogue Install #1
2026-08-13 18:00 - 2026-08-16 08:00 | Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, 38782 Hart mountain Rd, Plush, OR, 97637, United States
In 2024, catastrophic wildfires burned much of Hart Mountain, impacting fish and wildlife habitat across the refuge. As a result of this fire, streams like Rock Creek were left with decreased vegetation along their banks. This leads to erosion when heavy rain causes high stream flows. This project supports the refuge’s post-fire recovery plan, which will restore and improve streamside habitat by installing beaver dam analogues to retain water and planting native trees and shrubs.
Volunteers will install beaver dam analogues along Rock Creek to slow water flows, capture sediment, reverse erosion, and increase groundwater levels to support existing streamside vegetation and future plantings.
Completion of ONDA’s stewardship trip registration form is required to sign up for this event.

Hart Mtn. Beaver Dam Analogue Install #2
2026-08-27 18:00

Sagebrush Social (Eugene)
2026-09-16 17:00 - 19:00 | Alton Baker Park, 200 Day Island Rd, Eugene, OR, 97401, United States
Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Eugene at Alton Baker Park celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities.
Hear from our board and staff as they shares insights into ONDA’s conservation work, and learn how you can take action and advocate for the protection of Oregon’s high desert. We’ll have opportunities to write postcards to ensure cultural and historic resources on public lands remain protected.
Plus, expert volunteers will be ready to help you plan your next eastern Oregon adventure and offer tips about experiencing the high desert’s natural wonders. And, if you want to put your knowledge to the test, join our optional game of desert trivia.
Join us for complimentary light appetizers from Mucho Gusto Mexican Kitchen and Market of Choice, as well as drinks from Falling Sky Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, BNF Kombucha, and Polar Selzter.
All attendees will have the chance to win prizes from local businesses including Ballet Fantastique, Oregon Contemporary Theatre, Very Little Theatre, Applegate Regional Theatre, Eugene Opera, The Shedd Institute for the Arts, The Jazz Station, Cascade Raptor Center, Balanced Hot Yoga Eugene, Everyday People Yoga, and Passionflower Design.
This event is free and open to ONDA supporters and desert enthusiasts, so bring a friend! No registration required.
Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors .

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.
Please note: This event will be hosted in Alton Baker Park at Shelter 1 (200 Day Island Rd, Eugene, OR 97401). We encourage folks to walk, bike, or take public transit, but public parking is available.

Event Photo: Greg Burke

Beatys Butte Spring Restoration #1
2026-09-17 18:00 - 2026-09-20 08:00
Located in the vast Greater Hart-Sheldon region, Beatys Butte is exceptionally rich with wildlife. The small springs and associated wetland habitat found here provides critical food resources to the wildlife in the area.
This project will complete actions to increase water levels in small, spring-fed streams and to improve ecosystem health.
Completion of ONDA’s stewardship trip registration form is required to sign up for this event.

Pine Creek Spring Restoration #3
2026-09-25 18:00 | Pine Creek Conservation Area, 39067 OR-218, Fossil, OR, 97830, United States
Pine Creek Conservation Area is located near Clarno, Oregon and is a protected property managed for its wildlife habitat. Pine Creek is a tributary of the John Day River and runs for over 10 miles through the conservation area. The creek provides important habitat for steelhead and a diversity of wildlife and birds. ONDA has worked to restore Pine Creek Conservation Area for over 20 years, and this project contributes to this effort by restoring a system of springs that feed Pine Creek.
This project will remove juniper trees to increase water levels in small, spring-fed streams and in Pine Creek to support ecosystem health. Volunteers will use loppers and handsaws to remove small junipers that have spread beyond their typical range. Volunteers will then use this material to slow seasonal stream flows, retaining water that supports existing native plants and readies the site for future plantings.
Completion of ONDA’s stewardship trip registration form is required to sign up for this event.

Beatys Butte Spring Restoration #2
2026-10-01 18:00 - 2026-10-04 08:00

Wild & Scenic Film Festival
2026-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 2, 2026—an unforgettable evening of captivating short films that address pressing environmental issues, highlight incredible work being done by activists around the world, and celebrate the beauty of our planet.
Our carefully curated lineup will take you on a breathtaking journey through the natural world, showcasing awe-inspiring landscapes and emphasizing the urgency of protecting our wild places.
There will be an in-person show at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon as well as a virtual version streamed online. Join us for a night of inspiration and discovery!

Buy Tickets – Tower Theatre Show
Friday, October 2, 2026 | Doors at 5 p.m., show at 6 p.m.
Tickets $20 (Students $15) plus Tower Theatre’s $8 Historic Preservation Fee
Join us before the show to chat with ONDA staff, learn about current advocacy and volunteer opportunities, buy raffle tickets, and catch up with ONDA community members!
If you are hearing impaired and wondering about attending the show, the Tower Theatre has free infrared headphones that can be checked out from the house manager the night of the show. If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event or venue, please click here.

Register – Online Streaming Show
Registration is free.
Access to the online streaming will be available from Friday, October 2, 2026–Thursday, October 8, 2026.
Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership, and buy raffle tickets to be entered to win one of our prize packages, full of gear and gift certificates to fuel your next adventure. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!
Only one person per household needs to register. Streaming includes closed captioning.

Robinson Creek Instream Restoration
2026-10-16 18:00 - 2026-10-19 08:00 | Pine Creek Conservation Area, 39067 OR-218, Fossil, OR, 97830, United States
Robinson Creek, flows through a rugged canyon in Pine Creek Conservation Area to connect high-elevation ponderosa pine forests with the rolling grasslands of the conservation area, serving as a critical connective corridor for fish and wildlife.
While ONDA has completed several successful restoration plantings on Robinson Creek over the years, the larger ecosystem remains out of balance. To address these challenges, we’re undertaking an ambitious 5-year restoration project on Robinson Creek in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Completion of ONDA’s stewardship trip registration form is required to sign up for this event.

Deschutes Canyon Habitat Restoration #1
2026-10-23 10:00 - 16:00 | Deschutes Canyon Area, Terrebonne, OR, 97760, United States
Located west of Terrebonne, Oregon, the Middle Deschutes Wild and Scenic River flows through a deep, rugged canyon that remains remarkably untouched despite close proximity to development. Salmon and steelhead call these waters home, and mule deer, golden and bald eagles, and many species of songbirds are also found in the area.
This project will restore illegal motorized routes that have been closed by the Bureau of Land Management in the Deschutes Wild and Scenic River corridor. Volunteers will use natural materials collected on site to disguise the routes and hand tools such as rakes and shovels to spread native seed and plant potted shrubs and grasses.
Completion of ONDA’s stewardship trip registration form is required to sign up for this event.

Deschutes Canyon Habitat Restoration #2
2026-11-06 10:00 - 16:00 | Deschutes Canyon Area, Terrebonne, OR, 97760, United States
