A Model for Conservation

fact

Bobcat

Bobcat

Found only in North America, where it is the most common wildcat, the bobcat takes its common name from its stubby, or “bobbed,” tail. The cats range in length from two to four feet and weigh 14 to 29 pounds. Bobcats mainly hunt rabbits and hares, but they will also eat rodents, birds, bats, and even adult deer.

Latin name: Lynx rufus fasciatus

 

voices

Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

“Protecting public land is part of my spiritual being. It’s central to my identity to be in wilderness and to see it protected.” Durlin is proud to protect public lands for future generations, saying, “The highlight of my childhood was our family’s weekend outdoor trips. I look forward to my grandchildren having similar experiences outside in their lifetimes, and it wouldn’t be possible without ONDA.”

voices

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

“I connect with Oregon’s high desert through my feet, my eyes, my sense of smell, and all the things I hear. Getting out there is a whole body experience.” Supporting ONDA, Helen says, not only connects her with wild landscapes, but is also a good investment. “I felt like if I gave them $20, they might squeeze $23 out of it.”

A Model for Conservation

Author: Mark Salvo, Conservation Director |  Published: July 2, 2026  | Category: Essay This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2026 Desert Ramblings Newsletter. From Steens Mountain to […]

Read More

Spot Desert Wildlife

Author: Scott Bowler |  Published: July 1, 2026  | Category: Desert Outing This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2026 Desert Ramblings Newsletter. Head to Malheur National Wildlife […]

Read More

Steens Mountain: 25 Years Later

Author: Bill Marlett |  Published: October 30, 2025  | Category: In the News This guest column originally appeared in The Bulletin on October 24, 2025. Looking Back on a Landmark […]

Read More

Wilderness Inventories, and Why They Matter

Author: Mark Salvo | Published: September 24, 2025  | Category: Brief Update This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2025 Desert Ramblings Newsletter. The foundation of public land […]

Read More

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

A centerpiece of Oregon’s high desert, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is located at the foot of Steens Mountain, from which the Wild and Scenic Blitzen River provides a constant and […]

Read More

Birding in Malheur

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: January 7, 2025  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Source on January 8, 2025. A guide to observing migrating birds at the […]

Read More

Spend a Weekend Biking in the Steens

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: December 27, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin. Discover the stark contrasts and deep beauty of Oregon’s first high desert […]

Read More

Where-To:
See Aspen in Eastern Oregon

Author: Jess Beauchemin  |  Published: September 12, 2022  |  Category: Where-To Four amazing hikes with fall colors on Steens Mountain and Hart Mountain I grew up in New England, where […]

Read More

Where-To:
See Wildflowers on Steens Mountain

Over 1,000 vascular plant species have been recorded at Steens Mountain. And, in mid-summer, you can expect wildflowers to be reaching their peak, with paintbrush, balsamroot, fireweed, stonecrop (uplands and […]

Read More

Seven Steps to Save Sage-Grouse

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: April 5, 2022  |  Category: Deep Dive After three and half decades of monitoring sage-grouse habitat, sorting through the science, engaging in innumerable federal, state […]

Read More