Oregon’s desert lands and waters are home to a rich diversity of fish, wildlife and plants, including species that cannot survive without the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Oregon Natural Desert Association protects sensitive and imperiled species and habitat, advocates for improved public lands management, and enforces existing conservation laws to support healthy lands, waters and wildlife.
Conserving Desert Species and Habitats
Hundreds of species of desert plants and animals are at risk due to habitat loss from harmful land use, invasive species, climate change, mining proposals, and other challenges. Oregon’s desert wildlife and their habitats are in need of conservation action.
ONDA works to protect essential habitat, wildlife migration corridors, and climate resilient ecosystems to support native species conservation and recovery throughout the high desert. We promote conservation management that minimizes threats to wildlife and their habitat and improves land management to support species diversity and robust populations across 12 million acres of desert public lands.
ONDA’s efforts conserve vast expanses of wildlife habitat to the benefit of iconic desert residents like greater sage-grouse, pygmy rabbits, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, redband trout, migratory birds and many more.
Improving Public Land Management
Oregon’s high desert is rich with unrivaled expanses of wild lands and wildlife habitat requiring thoughtful management and long-term stewardship. Wherever and whenever federal agencies seek public input to guide their management of public lands, waters and wildlife, ONDA immediately engages in these decision-making processes to promote science-based management and protect iconic landscapes, fragile ecosystems and unique fish, wildlife and plant communities. We advocate for policies, regulations and management that support healthy ecosystems and address mounting threats from development, extractive industries and other activities.
- Lake Abert: Finding Solutions for this Desert Oasis
- Sage Grouse Conservation
- Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan
- Lakeview Resource Management Plan
Want to dive deeper into public lands management? Take a closer look at management planning in Oregon’s high desert.
Defending Public Lands and Wildlife
ONDA safeguards Oregon’s high desert, and we are committed to pushing back on management and extractive uses that harm the region’s public lands, waters and wildlife. ONDA leads campaigns to oppose detrimental development, ensures effective policy implementation, encourages science-based decision-making, and promotes enforcement of conservation laws that protect public lands, waters and wildlife.
- Protecting the Owyhee from Impacts of Expanded Air Force Training
- Opposing Mining in the McDermitt Creek
Over the years, this essential work has protected millions of acres of public land across Oregon’s high desert.
- Preventing Industrial-Scale Development on Steens Mountain
- Advancing Bureau of Land Management Wild Lands Policy
- Protecting Bull Trout Habitat in Malheur River Wild and Scenic Rivers
Visit our Accomplishments page to learn more about ONDA’s conservation achievements.
