Essential, a film premiere
Save the date for the premiere of our newest short film, Essential. Oregon’s high desert is an arid landscape, defined by the scarcity of water, but that does not mean that this vast landscape is without water. It means that every stream, creek, spring and river matters. Check back on Thursday, December 2 for...
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Essential
Oregon’s high desert is an arid landscape, defined by the scarcity of water, but that does not mean that this vast landscape is without water. It means that every stream, creek, spring and river matters. The waterways that crisscross Oregon’s high desert are arteries of life, fragile and… Essential. Check back in early December...
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Your Next Autumn Activity:Volunteering
As golden aspen leaves and frosty mornings mark the arrival of fall in Oregon’s high desert, welcomed rains are bringing fire danger down and allowing volunteers to resume work on needed monitoring and restoration projects throughout desert public lands. If you’re craving an adventure to experience the beauty of Oregon’s high desert in the...
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Seasons of the Desert
Each season in Oregon’s high desert, a new world unfolds. From spring blooms to autumn’s migrating birds, this virtual presentation will teach you a bit about what you’ll find year-round in the desert and provide travel suggestions to appreciate seasonal wonders. This event will be hosted on Zoom, registration is free and required. Only...
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Where-to: Swim in the John Day Basin
Author: Joanna Zhang | Published: July 19, 2021 | Categories: Where-to Five fantastic swimming holes on the John Day River You might not think of heading to the desert when you want to go swimming. That’s quite understandable. While Oregon’s high desert isn’t pulsing with waterfalls like the west side of Cascade crest, the...
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Helping Fish, Addressing Fire and Drought
Author: Beth Macinko | Published: June 21, 2021 | Categories: Look Back, Notes from the Field ONDA volunteers plant thousands of willow and repair fences in the Malheur watershed The native bull trout and redband trout in the Malheur River drainage, located south of Prairie City in the Malheur National Forest, can look forward...
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Wild Waters Ahead
ONDA community members showed how much they value desert rivers, streams and creeks by nominating countless waterways for protection. Now, more than 1,000 miles of these waters could be protected under the River Democracy Act. Join us to learn more about the rushing rivers, hidden hot springs, and spectacular streams across Oregon’s high desert...
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Meet the 2020 Alice
Elshoff Award Recipient
Author: Corinne Handelman | Published: January 19, 2021 | Category: Profile Meet John Cunningham Like many ONDA volunteers, John Cunningham is up for any challenge — and his positive attitude and long-standing commitment to supporting ONDA’s conservation mission have landed him the honor of receiving our 2020 Alice Elshoff Conservation Award. “After 30+ stewardship...
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Winter Wildlife Watching
By Scott Bowler What’s there to do in the desert in the winter? Watch wildlife! In many ways, especially at lower elevations, winter’s cold weather can provide some great hiking and exploring opportunities and it’s definitely a great time to be on the lookout for the rich array of wildlife species that inhabit Oregon’s...
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Signs of Winter
by Scott Bowler Winter may seem harsh, and it is indeed a difficult time to live outdoors, but remember that snow on the ground is actually good insulation. It blocks the wind, thus protecting animals from the most serious cold, and keeping temperatures warm enough underneath to allow activity much of the winter. Many...
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