Sage-grouse are down, but not out
October 13, 2020 | by Jeremy Austin, Policy Manager The numbers are in. Oregon’s sage-grouse population essentially remained flat in 2020. Following years of steep declines, the bird is dwelling at the second-lowest population level ever measured in our state. For nearly 60 years the scientific community has documented the decline of sage-grouse across...
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Species Spotlight: Quaking Aspen
by LeeAnn Kriegh The day I fell in love with Central Oregon, I woke to the sound of a quaking aspen’s leaves rustling outside my bedroom window. A breeze was stirring, and I looked out to see the leaves flashing green-silver against the white of the trunk and the blue of a cloudless sky....
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What Wild & Scenic Looks Like
Did you know that, in addition to rivers, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act can also protect creeks, streams and lakes? Wild and Scenic desert waters take many forms and every drop of desert water plays an important role in the desert ecosystem. From mighty salmon-bearing rivers, like the North Fork John Day, to...
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Summertime Strategies
Wow, it’s hot out there in the high desert! At least much of the time … not so much at night … and not every day either. (I can clearly recall July 4, 2010, when, camped out on the West Little Owyhee River, we got 4” of snow overnight and all our water was...
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Signs of Summer
Across Oregon’s high desert, plants and animals spend the summer months “searching” — for shade, for water, for food, for safety from predators. Below, you’ll find a snapshot of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena you might see taking place across Oregon’s high desert in June, July and August. We invite you to share your...
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Steppe It Up for the Greater Hart-Sheldon Region
How would you manage few million acres of public lands in Oregon’s desert? Later this summer, you will have a critical opportunity to answer that question. The Bureau of Land Management will be seeking input from the public on the Lakeview Resource Management Plan Amendment. This process will lay the foundation for how more...
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Species Spotlight – Pronghorn
A long list of charismatic animals inhabits Oregon’s high desert. Species such as the Greater Sage-grouse, bighorn sheep, cougars, burrowing owls and even the occasional black bear or wandering moose (okay, just one moose), can all be found exploring the characteristic rimrock, sagebrush, and open spaces of the state’s eastern half. In fact, many...
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How Much Wilderness Do We Need?
In a recent editorial, The Bulletin asked a good question: “how much land does Oregon have that is appropriate for wilderness?” The answer is a lot. A heckuva lot. In Oregon’s high desert alone, federal surveys and volunteer-driven inventories have identified eight million acres of public lands and hundreds of miles of rivers and...
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How to Identify Native Plants
By Scott Bowler Hey, what’s that cool flower? After leading wildflower discovery and identification trips for 40-plus years, I can tell you that people’s most common reaction upon encountering a new flower is: “Oh, cool! What’s that?” They want a name. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the key steps to figuring...
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How to Use Your Voice For Public Lands
This is part of our High Desert Academy digital event series. Whenever major changes to how our public lands are managed are in the works, you – the public! – get a chance to comment on those proposals. Learn how to use your voice to speak up for conservation in the desert, just in time for...
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