Desert Wilderness Retrospective

Greg Burke   Website

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Young Horny Toad Lizard

Young Horny Toad Lizard

In the summer these lizards begin foraging for food as soon as their body temperature rises as the heat of the day increases. They feed on slow-moving, ground-dwelling insects. In the fall they hibernate by burying themselves in the sand.

Latin name: Phrysonoma platyrhinos

fact

Swallowtail

Swallowtail

The Oregon Swallowtail butterfly is the official state insect of Oregon and a true native of the Pacific Northwest. The Swallowtail can be seen in the lower sagebrush canyons of the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Snake River drainage area.  Source: State Symbols USA

Latin name: Papilio oregonius

listen

Great Horned Owls and Western Screech Owls

Great Horned Owls and Western Screech Owls

Spring Basin Wilderness

Home to rare desert wildflowers and more With 10,000 acres of undulating terrain, secluded canyons and spectacular vantages of the John Day Country, Spring Basin is magnificent to explore. This public treasure, forever protected as designated wilderness, offers a profusion of desert wildflowers in the spring and year-round recreational opportunities for hikers, horseback riders, hunters […]

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Central Oregon’s "Backyard Wilderness"

Our quest to protect the Oregon Badlands Located just 15 miles east of Bend, Oregon Badlands is a 30,000-acre wilderness area filled with fascinating lava flows and ancient juniper trees. Arriving in the Badlands, so named for its rugged and harsh terrain, can feel like stepping onto another planet. Within this landscape, you will find […]

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Central Oregon Backcountry

Desert Wilderness Retrospective

By on April 2, 2019 | Posted in: Look Back

A Tale of Two Wilderness Areas: Badlands and Spring Basin On March 30, 2009, President Obama signed a massive public lands package into law, with the Oregon Badlands Wilderness and Spring Basin Wilderness among the many places protected. Besides sharing the same birthday and being located in Oregon’s high desert, the Badlands and Spring...

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Dark Desert Skies

By on March 29, 2019 | Posted in: How-To, Where-to

For those of us who have spent time in Oregon’s high desert, there is no need to explain how truly dark skies showcase the wonders of the stars viewable by the naked eye. Night skies relatively free from light pollution — that is, human-created artificial lighting and atmospheric disturbances such as smog — will...

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John Day River

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Fence Retrofit

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

Help retrofit miles of fence to make the landscape safer for wildlife at the Clarno unit of this National Monument

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Cottonwood Canyon State Park BDA Install #1

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

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Cottonwood Canyon BDA Install #2

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

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Cottonwood Canyon BDA Install #3

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

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Camp Creek Planting

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

Plant riparian trees and shrubs along a newly restored stretch of Camp Creek to provide critical habitat for salmonids.

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Clear Creek Planting

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

Plant riparian shrubs and trees along this newly restored stretch of Clear Creek to provide critical habitat for salmonids.

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Cottonwood Canyon Exclosure Build

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

A quick, mid-week overnighter to build exclosure fences in preparation for planting at our newly installed beaver dam analogues (BDAs) on Hay Creek. You will build exclosure fences around areas that have been improved for planting work thanks to our newly installed BDAs. This will give us more time during the longer trip the...

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John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Fence Retrofit

By on February 21, 2019 | Posted in:

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