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Brian Piarulli

Speak up for Oregon’s high desert.

Every American owns the public lands, waters and wildlife that make Oregon’s high desert special, and every one of us must be an advocate for their conservation for current and future generations.

 

watch

Wildflower Poetry Reading

Wildflower Poetry Reading

success

Central Oregon’s “Backyard Wilderness”

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

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fact

Far from Big Macs

Far from Big Macs

There is a point in the Owyhee region, in northwestern Nevada, that is, at 115 miles away, as far away as you can get from a McDonalds in the U.S.

Source: http://www.datapointed.net/2010/09/distance-to-nearest-mcdonalds-sept-2010

The People Who Make Us

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: April 24, 2025  | Category: Profile This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2025 Desert Ramblings What fuels conservation success. The sharp and […]

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Robinson Creek Restoration Plan

Robinson Creek Restoration Plan FINAL_digital

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Jim Davis

Securing Historic Wildlands and Wildlife Protections in the Greater Hart-Sheldon

Author: Mac Lacy  |  Published: April 15, 2025  |  Category: Deep Dive A deep dive into the history of the Lakeview Resource Management Plan and the future of Oregon’s Greater […]

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Tara Lemezis   Website

How To:
Photograph Birds in the Desert

Author: Tara Lemezis  |  Published Date: April 14, 2025  |  Category: How-To    This article was originally published in The Source Weekly on April 9, 2025. A guide to thoughtful […]

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Chad Brown

Chad is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, Navy veteran, conservationist, and social entrepreneur with a passion for storytelling and protecting wild spaces.  His career has been defined by a unique fusion […]

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Look Back: 2025 Speaker Series

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Published: April 3, 2025  | Category: Look Back Reflections on this year’s High Desert Speaker Series. Each year, Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the High Desert […]

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Watch the Desert’s Dawn Dancers

Author: Anne White |  Published: April 3, 2025  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on March 27, 2025. Where, when and how to observe sage-grouse lek […]

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A Diversity of Desert Reptiles

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: April 3, 2025  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on March 12, 2025. They’re where you find them. Oregon […]

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Trump Administration Cuts Public Input on Huge Mining Exploration Proposal

Communities slapped with unprecedented 5-day comment period for complex and controversial new plan. March 28, 2025 – The Trump administration proposed to permit exploration for a massive new mine in […]

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The Idea of Public Lands Needs No Defense, It Only Needs Defenders

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: March 26, 2025  | Category: In the News This Op-Ed originally appeared in The Source Weekly on March 20, 2025. The existence of public lands […]

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Sagebrush Social (Eugene)

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Eugene celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities. Complimentary light […]

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Allison Law

Seeing Conservation Work
Come to Life

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: March 19, 2025  | Category: Notes from the Desert Illustrating the restoration process at Robinson Creek Over the past two decades, Oregon Natural Desert Association […]

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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 […]

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Cregg Large

Protected: 2025 Pine Creek Conservation Area Cottonwood Cage Removal

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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2025 Stewardship Trip Registration

Registration Thank you for your interest in participating in an ONDA trip. More information about our Spring 2025 trips can be found on our 2025 Stewardship Trips page. We will […]

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Sagebrush Social (Bend)

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Bend celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities. Complimentary light […]

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Clarno Willow Harvest

Join the late winter tradition of harvesting willows at the Clarno Nursery for use in restoration projects this spring!

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Olivia Guethling

Badlands Wilderness Fence Removal

Located just 15 miles east of Bend, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness is a 30,000-acre area containing fascinating lava flows and ancient junipers. Thanks to an ONDA-led campaign, this area was […]

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Reynolds Pond Accessible Trail Construction (Day 2)

This project takes place at Reynolds Pond, just outside the Badlands Wilderness. In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead two days of […]

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Reynolds Pond Accessible Trail Construction (Day 1)

This project takes place at Reynolds Pond, just outside the Badlands Wilderness. In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead two days of […]

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Sam Hartman

Pine Creek Conservation Area Spring Restoration (April)

This project will support watershed-wide restoration efforts at Pine Creek Conservation Area, a property owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. On this trip, volunteers will be […]

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Aaron Tani

South Fork Crooked River Water Well Installation

This project is part of an exciting collaboration with the Prineville Bureau of Land Management to restore a mile of Riparian Habitat on the South Fork Crooked River. On this […]

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George Wuerthner

Beatys Butte Fence Build (May)

This trip will take place at Beatys Butte on the 400-acre North Springs conservation property owned by the Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT). This project will continue the construction of […]

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George Wuerthner

Beatys Butte Fence Build (June)

This trip will take place at Beatys Butte on the 400-acre North Springs conservation property owned by the Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT). This project will continue the construction of […]

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Jim Davis

Greg Burke   Website

Jim Davis

Greg Burke   Website

Greg Burke   Website

Aaron Tani

A Desert Adventure for Everyone

Author: Malcolm Costello  |  Published: February 5, 2025  | Category: Notes from the Desert This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on January 30, 2025. A volunteer recounts the many […]

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Sagebrush Social (Portland)

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Portland celebrating high desert conservation! Connect with ONDA staff, board members and fellow supporters while enjoying desert-themed activities. We’ll have […]

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Alan St John

Owyhee Reflections

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: January 14, 2025  | Category: Deep Dive Reflections on the most recent chapter in our quest to protect Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands.   Growing momentum in […]

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Coming Up: 2025 Conservation Priorities

Priorities and pathways to success in the year ahead. Oregon’s high desert features millions of acres of expansive sagebrush plains, emerald ribbons of streamside habitat, iconic mountain ranges, craggy canyons […]

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Craig Miller

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 […]

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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 […]

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Look Back: 2024 Year in Review

As this year comes to a close, we’re looking back on everything our community has accomplished in 2024 with a sense of pride. Oregon’s high desert is a remarkable landscape […]

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Beneath the Surface: Desert Mussels

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for the final event of the High Desert Speaker Series as we dive beneath the surface of high desert streams and into the hidden world […]

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Species Spotlight: Columbia Clubtail

Author: Anne White  |  Published: December 13, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2024 Desert Ramblings A flashy prehistoric insect. Dragonflies are […]

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Tiny Titans: Insects of the High Desert

Get ready for an exciting exploration into the crucial role insects play in Oregon’s high desert. Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series continues with Dr. Tara Cornelisse, invertebrate […]

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Fossils and the Future: Lessons from Oregon’s Ecological Past

Spend an evening with Oregon Natural Desert Association as we continue the High Desert Speaker Series by uncovering the fossilized world of eastern Oregon. Dr. Samantha Hopkins, University of Oregon […]

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A Year in the Life: Oregon’s Desert Owls

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association as we kick off our 2025 High Desert Speaker Series with an absorbing evening all about high desert owls. Paul Bannick, acclaimed author and wildlife […]

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Asociación del desierto natural de Oregón (Oregon Natural Desert Association; ONDA, por sus siglas en inglés)

ONDA es la única organización de conservación que se dedica exclusivamente a preservar el desierto alto de Oregón. Nuestros miembros y partidarios viven en Portland, en Bend, a lo largo […]

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Michael S. Quinton

Protecting Oregon’s Wildlife

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: November 27, 2024  | Category: Coming Up This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2024 Desert Ramblings Your key role in caring for […]

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Public Lands Management Glossary

Here’s a closer look at public lands management planning in Oregon’s high desert: Resource Management Plans The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) uses resource management plans (RMPs) to provide the […]

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Six Inspiring Ways to Conserve Oregon’s High Desert

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Published: November 19, 2024  | Category: Profiles Stories of giving from our community. Our supporters contribute to Oregon desert conservation in many meaningful ways. Some restore […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Species Spotlight: Gray Rabbitbrush

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: November 14, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on November 13, 2024. The many uses and attributes of […]

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Wonders of the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: November 14, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on November 14, 2024. A landscape rich with fascinating geology, a deep […]

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See Fall Color in the High Desert

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: November 14, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2024 Desert Ramblings Where to go this season As temperatures […]

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Mark Darnell

The Hart Mountain Conservation Corridor

Author: Anne White and Mark Salvo  |  Published: October 29, 2024  | Category: Deep Dive This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2024 Desert Ramblings The Oregon desert […]

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Indigenous Youth in Conservation

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: October 10, 2024  | Category: Look Back This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2024 Desert Ramblings Wrapping up the fifth season of […]

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Species Spotlight: Owyhee Bats

Author: Anne White  |  Published: October 24, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on October 16, 2024. When the sun sets on the […]

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Renewable Energy Development in Oregon’s High Desert

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: October 10, 2024  | Category: Deep Dive Something must be done, and quickly. Climate change is an existential threat to Oregon’s high desert. We must […]

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Running in the Badlands

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: October 10, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on October 10, 2024. Central Oregon’s “Backyard Wilderness” features 50+ miles of […]

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The Many and Unique Plants of the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Anne White  |  Published: September 13, 2024  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on September 4, 2024. More than two dozen species make their […]

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Spend Your Weekend Volunteering

Author: Sarah Lindsay  |  Published: August 29, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on August 28, 2024. Behind the scenes of ONDA group stewardship trips. […]

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How to Get Started Rockhounding

Author: Alison Jean Cole  |  Published: August 29, 2024  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on August 14, 2024. In an ocean of sagebrush, a […]

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Lessons Learned While Hiking the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick |  Published: August, 2024 | Category: Deep Dive Finding conservation inspiration over 750 miles of high desert trail Hiking the 750-mile Oregon Desert Trail is not just […]

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Seeding Resilience

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: August 13, 2024  | Category: Look Back This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on August 7, 2024. Restoring native grasslands in the high […]

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Where-to:
Swim in the Desert this Summer

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: July 30, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on July 30, 2024. Four fantastic swimming holes on the John Day […]

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An Ode to the McDermitt Caldera

Author: Karly Foster  |  Published: July 27, 2024  | Category: Look Back This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on June 28, 2024. An Oregon ecological haven. The McDermitt Caldera is […]

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2024 Lineup

Join us for a night of inspiration and discovery at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 4, 2024! This year’s event promises an unforgettable experience at the […]

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Greater Hart-Sheldon Comment Writing Workshop

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s Conservation Director Mark Salvo for a workshop on how to write compelling comments to conserve 3.2 million acres of public lands in the Greater Hart-Sheldon. […]

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Muhly Lake Fence Retrofit

This trip is part of a collaboration with the Prineville BLM district focused on retrofitting fences to make them more friendly to wildlife. By retrofitting the fences protecting this mesic, […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Greg Burke   Website

George Wuerthner

Steens Mountain Wilderness Trail Maintenance

In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management’s Burns District, ONDA will improve a portion of the Fred Riddle Trail in the Steens Mountain Wilderness. The Steens Mountain Cooperative Management […]

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Olivia Guethling

Badlands Fence and Trail Work Day #3

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead severaldays of trail work and fence removal at Reynolds Pond and the Badlands Wilderness to […]

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Olivia Guethling

Badlands Fence and Trail Work Day #2

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead severaldays of trail work and fence removal at Reynolds Pond and the Badlands Wilderness to […]

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Olivia Guethling

Badlands Fence and Trail Work Day #1

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead severaldays of trail work and fence removal at Reynolds Pond and the Badlands Wilderness to […]

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Reynolds Pond Accessible Trail Construction

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead several days of trail work and fence removal at Reynolds Pond and the Badlands Wilderness […]

Read More

Greg Burke   Website

Greg Burke   Website

Aaron Tani

George Wuerthner

Sage Brown   Website

Summit Creek Planting #2

Join us as we work with the Prairie City Ranger District to plant native vegetation along Summit Creek to improve fish and wildlife habitat. ONDA has worked on Summit Creek […]

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George Wuerthner

North Springs Exclosure Fence Construction #2

This trip is part of a series of projects that will provide a demonstration of what habitat restoration work can accomplish in the Beatys Butte area. By working to restore […]

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Bear Creek Fence Repair #1

This day trip is part of a collaboration with the Prineville BLM district focused on restoring riparian habitat. By repairing fences to exclude riparian areas from the impacts of cattle […]

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Bear Creek Fence Repair #2

This day trip is part of a collaboration with the Prineville BLM district focused on restoring riparian habitat. By repairing fences to exclude riparian areas from the impacts of cattle […]

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Beth Macinko

Jim Davis

Aaron Tani

South Fork Crooked River Riparian Restoration

This trip is part of an exciting collaboration with the Prineville Bureau of Land Management to restore 3 miles of the South Fork Crooked River.  This trip will involve cutting […]

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ONDA

Bringing Back Storied Sheep

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: June 25, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on June 19, 2024. Oregon’s high desert is home to […]

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High Desert Hootenanny: Bend

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s board, staff, and supporters in celebrating the many high desert conservation successes you achieved in 2024! Hear highlights from this year’s habitat restoration work and […]

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Tyson Fisher

Wild Desert Calendar Release Party

Join us for the unveiling of ONDA’s 2025 Wild Desert Calendar at Immersion Brewing Barrel Room in Bend. Full of images from Oregon’s iconic wild places and featuring photographers from […]

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Oregon’s Sagebrush Species

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: June 10, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings The high desert is teeming with […]

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Jim Davis

BLM Issues Framework for Conserving the Greater Hart-Sheldon

New Plan will Chart the Future for 1.6 Million Acres of Oregon’s High Desert. June 6, 2024 – The Bureau of Land Management has issued a new draft plan that […]

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Mark Darnell   Website

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 4, 2024 — an unforgettable evening of captivating short films that address pressing environmental issues, highlight […]

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Experiencing Sunrise in the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Published: June 6, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on May 31, 2024. Appreciating dawn in the high desert I wake […]

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High Desert Hootenanny: Portland

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s annual celebration of desert conservation! Commemorate a year of achievements and conservation successes at our High Desert Hootenanny in Portland. Hear highlights from this year’s […]

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The Land Between

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: May 29, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on May 23, 2024. Oregon’s vast, remote Greater Hart-Sheldon is home to […]

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Oregon’s Best Conservation Opportunity

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: May 29, 2024  | Category: Coming Up This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings After three decades of advocacy, this […]

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Anton Chiono

Anton works on land conservation and river restoration in the Columbia Basin for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Prior to this, Anton focused on natural resource issues […]

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An Avian Oasis

Author: Anne White  |  Published: May 17, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on May 8, 2024. Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands is a seasonal […]

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Haley Tobiason

Desert Birdwatching at Lake Abert

Author: Haley Tobiason  |  Published: May 17, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings If you’re a new birder wanting to […]

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Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan

Author: Mac Lacy  |  Published: May 11, 2024  | Category: Look Back This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings ONDA secures historic wildlands protection in […]

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From Washington, D.C., to the Canyons of the Owyhee

Author: Karly Foster  |  Published: May 7, 2024  | Category: Look Back From the nation’s capital to its rugged canyons and surging waters, ONDA traversed the country advocating for the […]

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Look Back: 2024 Speaker Series

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Published: March 6, 2024  | Category: Look Back Reflections on the 2024 High Desert Speaker Series Each year, Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the High Desert […]

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Where To: See Wildflowers in Spring Basin

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: April 25, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly on April 17, 2024. Find color in one of the least […]

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Revisiting Pine Creek Conservation Area

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: April 18, 2024  | Category: Coming Up This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings Bringing new restoration methods to a […]

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Nate Wilson

BLM Finalizes “Public Lands Rule”

Oregonians Applaud ‘Public Lands Rule’ Emphasizing Conservation and Recreation on BLM Public Lands. April 18, 2024 – The Bureau of Land Management released its final “Public Lands Rule” putting conservation, […]

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Species Spotlight: Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: April 10, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight  This article originally appeared in the Spring + Summer 2024 Desert Ramblings Paragon of adaptation and legacy of […]

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Sagebrush Sipper (Portland)

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Portland’s Peninsula Park. Mix and mingle with our staff, board and fellow supporters while enjoying complimentary Oakshire Brewery beer, wine, […]

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Discover the Desert in a Day

Author: Renee Patrick  |  Published: March 29, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on March 22, 2024. These short hikes will give you a taste […]

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Sagebrush Sipper (Eugene)

**Updated Event Time: See you from 4 – 6 p.m. on September 10.** Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for an evening gathering in Eugene’s Alton Baker Park. Mix and mingle […]

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Recovering Essential Desert Waters

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: March 18, 2024  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on March 13, 2024. Working with tribes to restore the lifeblood of […]

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A Guide to Stargazing

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: March 15, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on March 14, 2024. Appreciate the high desert’s dark skies It’s no […]

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Women of the Owyhee

Author: Karly Foster  |  Published: March 6, 2024  |  Category: Profile Dive into a journey of empowerment and inspiration as we celebrate Women’s History Month with profiles on the remarkable […]

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Making a Plan for the Owyhee Canyonlands

The Owyhee Canyonlands is a national treasure, featuring miles upon miles of deep rugged canyons and rolling sagebrush grasslands that support a rich diversity of wildlife and feature some of […]

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Securing Historic Wildlands Protections in the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Mac Lacy  |  Published: March 4, 2024  |  Category: Deep Dive A deep dive into the history of the Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan and the future of Oregon’s […]

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Nature’s Ecosystem Engineers

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: January 17, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on February 14, 2024. What we can learn from beaver about […]

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Finally! BLM Plan Protects Owyhee Canyonlands

The Bureau of Land Management Finalized New Plan Conserving More than 400,000 Acres in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands. February 23, 2024 – After more than two decades of research, inventory, public comment […]

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Sagebrush Sipper (Bend)

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association staff and supporters for an evening gathering in our office this summer. Enjoy complimentary beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks and light appetizers. You will also have […]

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Reynolds Pond Accessible Trail Construction

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will help lead a day of trail maintenance at Reynolds Pond to prepare the site for the […]

Read More

Sage Brown   Website

Summit Creek Planting

Join us as we work with the Prairie City Ranger District to plant native vegetation along Summit Creek to improve fish and wildlife habitat. ONDA has worked on Summit Creek […]

Read More

Sam Hartman

Pine Creek Conservation Area Spring Restoration #1

This project will support watershed-wide restoration efforts at Pine Creek Conservation Area, a property owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Volunteers will use hand tools such […]

Read More

Sam Hartman

Pine Creek Conservation Area Spring Restoration #3

This project will support watershed-wide restoration efforts at Pine Creek Conservation Area, a property owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Volunteers will use hand tools such […]

Read More

Aaron Tani

South Fork Exclosure Fence Repair

This trip is part of an exciting collaboration with the Prineville Bureau of Land Management to restore 3 miles of the South Fork Crooked River.  To make this stretch of […]

Read More

Aaron Tani

Beth Macinko

Jim Davis

Jim Davis

Greg Burke   Website

Sam Hartman

Pine Creek Conservation Area Spring Restoration #2

This project will support watershed-wide restoration efforts at Pine Creek Conservation Area, a property owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Volunteers will use hand tools such […]

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Corinne Handelman

2024 Stewardship Trips and Projects

Ready to get out into the desert and give it some care? Oregon Natural Desert Association would love to see you on one of the dozens of stewardship trips and […]

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How-To: Plan a Trip to the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Published: January 29, 2024  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Bend Bulletin on January 26, 2024. The West’s largest expanse of unprotected wildlands […]

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Thank you for staying subscribed!

Thank you for continuing to support high desert conservation and staying in the loop on news and happenings at ONDA. Looking for more ways to get involved in this community? […]

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How-To: Follow Wildlife Tracks

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: January 17, 2024  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on January 10, 2024. Winter rain and snowfall make for wildlife stories […]

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George Wuerthner

North Springs Mesic Restoration

This trip is part of a series of projects that will provide a demonstration of what habitat restoration work can accomplish in the Beatys Butte area. By working to restore […]

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How-To: Go From Desert Appreciator To Desert Advocate

Author: Karly Foster  |  Published: December 28, 2023  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on December 13, 2023. Reflect on a year of enjoying the wonders […]

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Gabriel Amadeus Tiller   Website

Where-To: Desert Hot Springs

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: December 12, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bend Bulletin on November 24, 2023. Escape the cold at one of these […]

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Cultivating Partnerships: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Science in Land Stewardship (Bend)

Spend an evening with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, a community ecologist and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and  Director of Tribal Initiatives at Oregon State University, as part of Oregon Natural […]

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Cultivating Partnerships: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Science in Land Stewardship (Portland)

Spend an evening with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, a community ecologist and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and  Director of Tribal Initiatives at Oregon State University, as part of Oregon Natural […]

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Tracing Geological History Through Rocks and Minerals in Oregon’s Desert (Portland)

Join us for the final events of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series, featuring Alison Jean Cole—an author, rockhound, and lapidary artist. In this informative talk, Alison […]

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Tracing Geological History Through Rocks and Minerals in Oregon’s Desert (Bend)

Join us for the final events of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series, featuring Alison Jean Cole—an author, rockhound, and lapidary artist. In this informative talk, Alison […]

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A Journey Through the Owyhee Canyonlands

Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands is one of the largest conservation opportunities in the country. Join Oregon Natural Desert Association Board Members, Elisa Cheng and Natasha Bellis, at a 2024 High Desert […]

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Dive into the Hive: Explore the World of High Desert Bees

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association for the inaugural event of the 2024 High Desert Speaker Series—a captivating online presentation delving into the diverse species of bees thriving in Oregon’s high […]

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Jamey Pyles   Website

Protecting Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: December 5, 2023  |  Category: Deep Dive A deep dive into the Wilderness vs. National Monument pathways Even the most intrepid desert traveler can get […]

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Observing Raptors

Author: Craig Miller  |  Published: November 27, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on November 22, 2023. Where, when and how to see birds […]

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Indigenous Advocates Call for Permanent Protection for the Owyhee

Author: Karly Foster |  Published: November 15, 2023 |  Category: Look Back Representatives of four tribal communities traveled to Washington, D.C., with ONDA to advocate for permanent protection for Oregon’s […]

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Phil Mitchell

Species Spotlight: Pygmy Rabbit

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: November 14, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight  This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings Conservation efforts offer hope for this […]

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Imagine Sutton Mountain

Author: Renee Patrick |  Published: November 10, 2023 This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings Hiking for a plan to permanently protect this landscape. When […]

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Where To : See Streamside Trees Aflame

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: November 9, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Source on November 8, 2023. Where to find vibrant autumn leaves igniting eastern […]

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Bruce Couch

Your responses are in!

Author: Hana Sant |  Published: November 7, 2023  |  Category: Look Back The results of our 2023 member survey This summer, we surveyed our members to learn more about your […]

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Look Back: A Summer Desert Oasis

Author: Haley Tobiason  |  Published: October 30, 2023  | Category: Look Back  Reflections from a season of surveying at Lake Abert Rounding the corner of Oregon’s Highway 395, nestled underneath the […]

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Aaron Tani

Look Back: A Decade of Restoration

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: October 25, 2023  | Category: Look Back This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings Initial phase of restoration on the […]

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Devlin Holloway

Sage-Grouse: Denizen of the Sagebrush Sea

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: October 19, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight  This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings The future of this enduring species […]

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Jim Davis

View the Solar Eclipse from the High Desert

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: October 6, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in our Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings Newsletter. Among the diverse geology, arid climate, […]

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Greg Burke

The Juniper Paradox

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: September 26, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on September 20, 2023. Both iconic and beloved in Oregon’s high […]

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Look Back: Reflections from Tribal Steward Wesley Scott

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: September 13, 2023  | Category: Look Back From getting the opportunity to reconnect with indigenous communities to finding work that truly interests him In 2021, […]

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Patrick French

Thoughtful Gear Choices for an Oregon Desert Trail Hike

Author: Renee Patrick  | Published: September 6, 2023  | Category: Deep Dive Gear is always a hot topic of conversation among long-distance backpackers. Good gear choices for a challenging route […]

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Gary Calicott

Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument Campaign Launches

ONDA has joined a diverse coalition calling for a Presidential national monument for Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands. September 6, 2023 – ONDA has joined a diverse coalition of organizations and advocates calling […]

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Renee Schiavone

Renee joined ONDA’s team in 2023. As communications manager, she elevates ONDA’s work, connecting people with the public lands found in Oregon’s high desert. She comes with experience in both […]

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Species Spotlight: American Avocet

Author: Anne White  |  Published: August 15, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on August 9, 2023. What is the future for the American […]

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High Desert Hootenanny: Portland

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association’s annual celebration of desert conservation! Commemorate a year of achievements and conservation successes at our High Desert Hootenanny in Portland. Hear highlights from this year’s advocacy […]

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High Desert Hootenanny: Bend

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association board, staff and supporters in celebrating the many high desert conservation successes you achieved in 2023! Come to Aspen Hall in Bend on Friday, December […]

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2024 Wild Desert Calendar Release Party

Join us in celebrating the release of ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar at Immersion Brewing Barrel Room! Meet photographers featured in the 2024 calendar and pick up desert tips and know-how. […]

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Rick Samco   Website

2023 Lineup

Join us on Friday, September 29, 2023 for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, presented by E2 Solar. This year’s festival will be hosted at the Tower Theatre in Bend, […]

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Where-To: Find Desert Wildflowers

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: July 28, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Source on July 5, 2023. Head east of Bend anytime between early spring […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Summit Creek Planting

Join us as we work with the Prairie City Ranger District to plant native vegetation along Summit Creek to improve fish and wildlife habitat. ONDA has worked on Summit Creek […]

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John Aylward

Floating Down the Owyhee Canyonlands

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: July 7, 2023  | Category: Look Back The recap and realizations of two ONDA board members rafting 55 miles of the Owyhee River. Close your […]

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Jon Muyskens

BLM Plan Protects Owyhee Canyonlands

The Bureau of Land Management Releases New Plan Conserving More than 400,000 Acres in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands. June 16, 2023 –  The Bureau of Land Management announced a new plan […]

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Alan Majchrowicz

Bill to Conserve Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands Introduced in Congress

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: June 9, 2023  | Category: In the News Four years in the making, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley’s bill could finally deliver protection […]

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Jeremy Austin

Species Spotlight: Pronghorn

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: June 7, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on June 7, 2023. The resilient pronghorn has raced through millennia, […]

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Dan Hawk

New Guidance: Renewable Energy Siting in Oregon

Collaborative effort produces new guidance on renewable energy development in Oregon. June 2, 2023 – Oregon Natural Desert Association is pleased to join partners in offering new guidance on the resources […]

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Jim Davis

Celia Bell

Greg Burke

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #2

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA is leading regular service days in 2023 to improve the Badlands Wilderness for its human visitors and […]

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George Wuerthner

North Springs Mesic Restoration

This trip represents the beginning of a series of projects that will provide a demonstration of what restoration work can accomplish in the Beatys Butte area. By working to restore […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Olivia Guethling

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #6

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead several days of service in 2023 to improve the Badlands Wilderness for its human visitors […]

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Jim Davis

Greg Burke   Website

George Wuerthner

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #4

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead several days of service in 2023 to improve the Badlands Wilderness for its human visitors […]

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Pine Creek Spring Restoration

This project will support watershed-wide restoration efforts at Pine Creek Conservation Area, a property owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Volunteers will use hand tools such […]

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Greg Burke

George Wuerthner

North Springs Exclosure Fence Construction

This trip is part of a series of projects that will provide a demonstration of what habitat restoration work can accomplish in the Beatys Butte area. By working to restore […]

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George Wuerthner

Steens Mountain Wilderness Trail Maintenance

In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management’s Burns District, ONDA will improve a portion of the Fred Riddle Trail in the Steens Mountain Wilderness. The Steens Mountain Cooperative Management […]

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Greg Burke

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #3

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead several days of service in 2023 to improve the Badlands Wilderness for its human visitors […]

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Celia Bell

Malheur River Planting Project

This project takes place near Juntura on the Burns Paiute Tribe’s Jonesboro Property, also known as Denny Jones Ranch. For this trip, volunteers will be spending two days planting culturally […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Greg Burke   Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #5

In partnership with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management, ONDA will lead several days of service in 2023 to improve the Badlands Wilderness for its human visitors […]

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Brent McGregor

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, September 29, 2023 — an evening of short films showcasing our earth’s natural wonders and the amazing […]

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Anne White

Species Spotlight: Chokecherry and Blue Elderberry

Author: Elizabeth MacLagan  |  Published: May 18, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight  Widely planted for habitat restoration, Chokecherry and Blue Elderberry are important species in the high desert ecosystem. These […]

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Fall Trip Registration Opens

ONDA’s 2023 fall stewardship trips and projects offer a variety opportunities to give back to the high desert and its creatures while getting to know new people and places. Registration […]

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Photographing The Desert

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: May 12, 2023  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on May 12, 2023. Experienced local photographers offer pointers for capturing the […]

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Steve Kallick

Steve fell in love with the Oregon Desert while earning his J.D. at Lewis and Clark Law School and working for the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission. After moving to Alaska, […]

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Sagebrush Sipper: Portland

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association staff and supporters for an evening gathering this summer. Enjoy complimentary cold beverages, non-alcoholic drinks and light appetizers. Mix and mingle, learn about new aspects […]

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Carrie Bowden

Carrie joined ONDA in 2023, bringing with her not only a passion for Oregon’s high desert, but over 25 years of experience as a finance professional at a large investment […]

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Sagebrush Sipper: Bend

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association staff and supporters for an evening gathering in our office this summer. Enjoy complimentary cold beverages from Deschutes Brewery, Crater Lakes Vodka, wine, non-alcoholic drinks […]

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Dan Hawk

Renewable Energy Siting in Oregon

Collaborative effort produces new guidance on renewable energy development in Oregon. Oregon Natural Desert Association is pleased to join partners in offering new guidance on the resources and values that […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Volunteering As Climate Action

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: April 14, 2023  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on April 14, 2023. Help reverse the overwhelming impacts of climate change […]

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David Sherril

Championing Public Lands in Washington, D.C.

Author: Karly Foster  |  Published: April 6, 2023  |  Category: Look Back A week in the nation’s capitol spent advocating for public lands and conservation in Oregon’s high desert, told […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Proposed New Public Lands Rule

The Bureau of Land Management’s proposed new “Public Lands Rule” could be a win for Oregon’s high desert. On March 30, 2023, the Bureau of Land Management announced an anticipated […]

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Devlin Holloway

Priority Sage-Grouse Habitat in the Greater Hart-Sheldon

Located on the Oregon-Nevada border, the Greater Hart-Sheldon is one of the six most important habitats remaining for greater sage-grouse in the American West. This charismatic ambassador of the Sagebrush […]

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Phil Mitchell

Core Pygmy Rabbit Habitat in the Greater Hart-Sheldon

The Greater Hart-Sheldon is more than 3 million acres of sagebrush steppe anchored by Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southeastern Oregon and Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in northern Nevada. […]

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Protected: South Fork Crooked River Fence Mapping

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Tyler Roemer

Species Spotlight: Lichen

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: March 13, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight  Oh man, I’m liking those lichen! Lichen are both ubiquitous and highly diverse, yet little known and understood, […]

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Andrew Sambuceto

A Dozen Desert Wonders

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: February 21, 2023 |  Category: Where-to This article originally appeared in The Source on January 11, 2023. Oregon’s high desert – that vast expanse of sagebrush […]

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Michele Patrick

The Balance of Life at McDermitt Creek

Author: Anne White  |  Published: February 16, 2023  |  Category: Look Back In June 2022, ONDA hosted a site visit to McDermitt Creek in southeastern Oregon to introduce desert advocates […]

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Aaron Tani

BLM

James Parsons   Website

Protected: Warner Wetlands Bird Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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James Parsons   Website

Mark Darnell   Website

South Fork Fence Build

This is an exciting and physically demanding trip. We will backpack out to an inholding owned by the Oregon Desert Land Trust within the South Fork Crooked River Wilderness Study […]

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Ben Gordon

Logan Valley Fence Repair

Join ONDA for a fence repair trip in support of the the Burns Paiute Tribe's efforts to restore tributaries of the Malheur River on their Logan Valley property.

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Greg Burke   Website

Alan Majchrowicz   Website

Aaron Tani

South Fork Riparian Exclosure Fence Repair

This trip marks the first step in an exciting new collaboration with the Prineville BLM to restore 3 miles of the South Fork Crooked River.  To make this stretch of […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #1

Join ONDA in a day of maintenance to improve trails in the Badlands Wilderness.

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McDermitt Creek Lithium Mine Site Visit

Join ONDA to document the incredible habitat, wildlife, and cultural resource values in the McDermitt Caldera threatened by the potential McDermitt Creek lithium mine. A potential massive, new mine near […]

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George Wuerthner

Beatys Butte Fenceline Retrofit #1

Join ONDA to retrofit fence and help us improve an important migration corridor. Barbed wire fences present throughout the Beatys Butte area pose risks to wildlife. Low flying sage grouse […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #1

This trip is full and accepting volunteers for the waitlist.

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Patrick Alexander

Species Spotlight: Big Sagebrush

Author: Rachel Renne  |  Published: February 13, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight  This article originally appeared in The Source on February 8, 2023. In May 2021, I hiked the entire […]

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2022 Conservationist of the Year

Meet Mary McCord, ONDA’s 2022 Conservationist of the Year If you attended an ONDA event this year, chances are that Mary McCord was working behind the scenes to make sure […]

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Renee Clough

How-To: Experience the Best of Oregon’s High Desert – practical advice from ODT hikers

Author: Renee Patrick |  Published: February 3, 2023 |  Category: How-to Taking on a challenging remote hike like the Oregon Desert Trail can be intimidating, but hikers from all experience […]

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Protected: Sheepshead Mountains WSA Group Route Inventory

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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TJ Paulsen

How-To: Tips for Opening and Closing Barb Wire Gates

Author: TJ Paulsen |  Published: January 30, 2023 |  Category: How-To Hikers will run into more gates than you might expect across the high desert. TJ Paulsen completed the entire […]

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Gary Calicott

Spring Trip Registration Opens

ONDA’s 2023 spring stewardship trips and projects offer a variety opportunities to give back to the high desert and its creatures while getting to know new people and places. Registration […]

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Michelle Smith

Michelle works at the intersection of land, water, and communities. She serves as a Research Associate at the University of Oregon’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center where she focuses […]

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Patrick Stoll

The Land, its People and the Future (Portland)

    Wilson Wewa will discuss the land, its people and the past, present and future of protecting the high desert in Oregon. Wilson is a storyteller, spiritual leader, and […]

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Jim Davis

The Land, its People and the Future (Bend)

  Wilson Wewa will discuss the land, its people and the past, present and future of protecting the high desert in Oregon. Wilson is a storyteller, spiritual leader, and oral […]

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Beth Macinko

Winter Trip Registration Opens

Start 2023 off right by joining one or more of ONDA’s winter stewardship trips to the Clarno Nursery on the John Day River to harvest willows and cottonwoods for planting […]

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Bruce Couch

Our Common Ground: America’s Public Lands as a Political and Conservation Success Story

Join professor and author John Leshy at the Tower Theater in Bend for our second event in the High Desert Speaker Series as he discusses his new book, Our Common […]

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Michele Patrick

Exploring the Native Plants of Oregon’s High Desert

Calling all plant lovers! Join us in Portland for an evening of botany and ecology as we explore the native plants of Oregon’s high desert in our second event of […]

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Ron Larson

A New Research and Monitoring Program for Lake Abert

A welcome step toward improved management and conservation of an imperiled saline lake Oregon Natural Desert Association is thrilled to see bipartisan support for a new program supporting improved conservation […]

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Species Spotlight: Western Juniper

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: December 21, 2022  | Category: Species Spotlight  This article originally appeared in The Source on December 7, 2022. The ubiquitous tree that warrants a closer […]

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Ron Larson

Saving Lake Abert

Lake Abert — and the birds that depend on it — is under constant threat as the ongoing drought exacerbates the impacts of poor water management, resulting in reduced inflows […]

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Ron Larson

A Drying, Shrinking Lake

Lake Abert’s delicate ecosystem depends on consistent and reliable fresh water inputs to maintain optimal salinity to support a complex food web that feeds the abundant birdlife at the lake. […]

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Will Thompson, USGS

Recover America’s Wildlife

This action is retired for now. Please sign-up for our e-newsletter to stay up-to-date on all our advocacy needs and thank you for your interest in supporting wildlife in Oregon!

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Ron Larson

Lake Abert: An Irreplaceable, Ecological Gem

Lake Abert is the only hypersaline lake in Oregon, one of three hypersaline lakes in the western U.S., and is the largest saline lake in the Pacific Northwest. This unique […]

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Ron Larson

Desert Oasis: The Birds of Lake Abert

As Oregon’s only hypersaline lake and one of just three such lakes in the western U.S., Lake Abert is a vital ecosystem within the high desert and an essential stop […]

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Daniel Arnold

2022 In Review

Oregon’s high desert is an exceptional landscape, and the people who love it and protect it are feisty, passionate, and deeply committed to conservation. The high desert is also a […]

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12 Ways to Connect with the Desert

Author: Claire Cekander  | Published: November 4, 2022  |  Category: Look Back Yes, there are plenty of ways to enjoy winter in the desert, but many of us spend the […]

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Patrick Stoll

Saving the Owyhee from Jet Fighters, Sonic Booms and Flammable Flares

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: November 1, 2022  |  Category: Coming Up File this under “looming threat”: ONDA has learned that the U.S. Air Force may release its final plan […]

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Gena Goodman-Campbell

Another Successful Tribal Stewards Field Season Complete

For the 2022 Tribal Stewards crew, working in different places and seeing the varied scenery of Oregon was a definite highlight, but the mosquitoes, well … not so much. Tribal […]

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Patrick French

12 Explorers We’d Love to Bump Into on the Oregon Desert Trail

Authors: Renee Patrick and Lace Thornberg  |  Published: October 25, 2022  |  Category: Profile Go out for a long hike in Oregon’s high desert and you will see more pronghorn […]

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35 Years of Desert Care

Authors: Jeremy Austin, Mac Lacy, Gena Goodman-Campbell and Lace Thornberg  |  Published: October 21, 2022 This is a story about people who noticed a problem and chose to act. It […]

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Ursula K. Le Guin on ONDA

“Nothing in conservation work is ever uncomplicated! But I’m proud of ONDA for working on that conversation, being neighborly, trying to include the human landscape in the natural one as […]

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Shannon Phifer   Website

Virtual Gallery Closing

This is the closing day of “A High Desert Year,” an online exhibit featuring 24 works of landscape and nature photography.  All images are featured in ONDA’s 2023 Wild Desert […]

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Allen Tyler

Terry Butler

Terry Butler has been exploring and advocating for Oregon’s high desert for over 40 years. He’s participated in numerous ONDA stewardship trips and other volunteer activities, becoming a strong believer […]

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Chris Christie

How-to: Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Oregon’s High Desert

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Published: October 6, 2022  |  Category: How-To ONDA’s conservation work occurs on the traditional and ceded lands of the Northern Paiute, Wasco, Warm Springs, Bannock, Shoshone, […]

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Aaron Reddecliffe

Another Owyhee Canyonlands Milestone

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: October 4, 2022  |  Category:  In The News Another Milestone for the Owyhee Canyonlands It’s not hard to get lost in the deeply forked, meandering […]

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Fall Planting Trips

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: October 3, 2022  |  Category:  Coming Up Desert streams and rivers are the lifeblood of Oregon’s high desert, but many of these essential riparian areas […]

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Desert Ramblings

Published continuously since 1988, Oregon Natural Desert Association’s newsletter has kept our members informed about public lands news and shared countless intriguing facts about the plants and animals that inhabit […]

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James Parsons   Website

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 […]

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Calendar Assembly Party

Our annual Calendar Assembly Party is coming up, and we would love your help! Join us for this fun volunteer event hosted at the ONDA office. Enjoy refreshments and a […]

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Where Are They Now

Meet Five Former ONDA Law Clerks and Interns Making the World a Better Place It takes a village to protect, defend, and restore Oregon’s sagebrush wildlands. All of ONDA’s work […]

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Claire Cekander

Claire joined ONDA in 2022 as the donor relations manager and is based in our Portland office. She works to deepen relationships with ONDA members by sharing ONDA’s work with […]

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The Essential Pronghorn Corridor in the Greater Hart-Sheldon

The Greater Hart-Sheldon straddles the Oregon-Nevada border and provides essential habitat for pronghorn, as well as hundreds of other sagebrush-dependent plants and animals. In 2016, the region supported more than 8,000 […]

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Shannon Phifer   Website

Virtual Gallery Opening

“A High Desert Year,” an online exhibit featuring 24 works of landscape and nature photography will open for viewing.  All images are featured in ONDA’s 2023 Wild Desert Calendar. To […]

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Robert Tilley

Take Part in a Conservation Convo

Want to make sure you’re using your voice effectively for the desert you love? Join us at our next Conservation Convo event.

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Mark Darnell   Website

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 4, 2024 — an unforgettable evening of captivating short films that address pressing environmental issues, highlight […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Fences in the High Desert

620,000 miles — enough to stretch around the earth nearly 25 times. That is the estimated number of miles of fencing currently crisscrossing the American West, according to researchers at […]

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Robert Tilley

Virtual Conservation Convo

Take part in our Conservation Convo which will feature a presentation by our Conservation Team and learn about critical efforts that are heating up this fall and need your support. […]

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Robert Tilley

Conservation Convo

RESCHEDULED Swing by our Conservation Convo event to visit with the Oregon Natural Desert Association and our Conservation Team and learn about critical efforts that are heating up this fall and […]

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Rick Samco   Website

2022 Lineup

Join us on Friday, September 30, 2022 for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, presented by E2 Solar. This year’s festival will be hosted at the Tower Theatre in Bend, […]

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Greg Burke

2023 Wild Desert Calendar Release Party

Join us in celebrating the release of ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar at Immersion Brewing Barrel Room! Meet photographers featured in the 2023 calendar and pick up desert tips and know-how. […]

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Hundreds of Oregon groups support the River Democracy Act

Author: Joanna Zhang  |  Published: July 20, 2022  |  Category: In the news On February 3, 2021, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced the River Democracy Act to add […]

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Kevin Clark

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 […]

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Bryan Andresen

Lithium Mining in Oregon

Author: Anne White  |  Published: July 7, 2022  |  Category: In the News In the far southeastern corner of Oregon lies an undulating sagebrush sea peppered with native wildflowers, carved […]

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Allen Taylor

2022 Tribal Stewards hit the desert

Author: Beth Macinko  |  Published: July 1, 2022  |  Category: Profile The 2022 Tribal Stewards crew is in the desert! For a third summer, a motivated group of Indigenous young […]

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Wendy Neal

Protected: Bridge Creek Allotments Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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courtesy of Medina Glenn

My Desert Adventure: Lake Abert

Author: Medina Glenn | Published: June 16, 2022 | Category: My Desert Adventure We were in an impressionable state of mind, as we drove south on Highway 31 toward Summer […]

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Barb Rumer

Species Checklist

  Click here to download the Lake Abert Avian Species Checklist Thank you for your interest in wildlife habitat and desert conservation! Learn more about Lake Abert.

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Renee Patrick

The Power in Speaking Up Together

Author: Lace Thornberg | Published: June 14, 2022 | Category: In the News  Anyone who cares about climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental issues will at times feel overwhelmed. […]

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Reid Williams, 2021 Conservationist of the Year

How far are you willing to hike for conservation? Reid Williams offered to put in more than 20 miles a day, by himself, walking and monitoring fence lines on Beatys […]

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George Wuerthner

Beatys Butte Fenceline Retrofit #2

Join ONDA to retrofit fence and help us improve an important migration corridor. Barbed wire fences present throughout the Beatys Butte area pose risks to wildlife. Low flying sage grouse […]

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Aaron Tani

South Fork Fence Build #3

This is an exciting and very physically demanding trip. We will backpack to an inholding owned by the Oregon Desert Land Trust within the South Fork Crooked River Wilderness Study […]

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Michael O'Casey

Beech Creek Riparian Planting

Join ONDA in a riparian planting effort in partnership with the Burns Paiute Tribe to improve native fish habitat on Beech Creek, a tributary of the John Day River.

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Mark Darnell

Hay Creek Fence Pull

Join ONDA to remove two miles of fence along Hay Creek, part of Cottonwood Canyon State Park, to restore wildlife habitat and remove unnecessary materials. The work will involve removing staples and clips, cutting and rolling wire, pulling fence posts and removing wildlife exclosure fencing.

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Aaron Tani

Ruby Creek Riparian Planting

Riparian plantings are a great way to improve fish and wildlife habitat. They provide cooler water for native fish and increase a landscape’s capacity to store and clean water. This […]

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George Wuerthner

Beatys Butte Fenceline Retrofit #3

Join ONDA to retrofit fence and help us improve an important migration corridor. Barbed wire fences present throughout the Beatys Butte area pose risks to wildlife. Low flying sage grouse […]

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BLM-Oregon and Washington   Website

Where-To:
Soak Up Long Summer Days

For a Perfect Summer Day, Head to a Desert River With the sun rising before 6 am and twilight extending after 9 pm, summer days leave plenty of space for […]

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Aaron Tani

Jim Davis   Website

Michael O'Casey

Mark Molner

Ten Barrier-Free Trails
in Eastern Oregon

Author: William Sullivan  |  Published: May 27, 2022  |  Category: Where-To For people of all physical abilities looking to explore new trails on the dry side of the Cascades, these […]

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Protected: Quail Creek Road Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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George Wuerthner

Derek Loeb

Giving Beyond the Checkbook

There are almost as many ways to support conservation as there are reasons to love Oregon’s desert. Here we highlight five ways to donate to preserve the environment you love […]

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Ann Hubbard

Lake Abert: What’s the Solution?

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: May 5, 2022  | Category: Deep Dive   Lake Abert was catapulted onto the front pages in January when in-depth reporting by The Oregonian exposed a […]

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Fall 2022 Stewardship Trip Preview

Registration Opens June 1 Do you enjoy fall colors? Crisp days and starry nights? You will love the variety of stewardship opportunities ONDA is offering in the high desert this […]

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Ellen Bishop

Look Back: 2022 Speaker Series

Author: Corinne Handelman  |  Published: April 29, 2022  |  Category: Look Back Each spring, ONDA presents the High Desert Speaker Series featuring intriguing stories, exquisite photography, and fascinating natural history […]

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Planting Hope

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: April 27, 2022  |  Category: Look Back ONDA’s stewardship director shares a report from a special desert stewardship trip where ONDA celebrated it’s 35th anniversary […]

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Ben Goldfarb

Species Spotlight: Steelhead

Author: Scott R. Bowler  |  Published: April 20, 2022  |  Category: Species Spotlight The long & short life history of Oncorhynchus mykiss Did you know that the fish we call […]

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Protected: RNA Monitoring Project

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Michelle Alvarado   Website

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 […]

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Barb Rumer

How-To:
See Desert Wildlife in Spring

Author: Scott R. Bowler  |  Published: April 5, 2022  | Category: How-To What’s to be seen during the vernal hinge of the year? Spring, of course, means snow melts, lake […]

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Dark Night Skies in the High Desert

Author: Renee Patrick  |  Published: March 21, 2022  |  Category: Profile Meet ONDA volunteer Rachel Kato and learn more about her contribution to help people understand the importance of the […]

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Scott McCaulou

Scott is the director of the water stewardship project portfolio at Bonneville Environmental Foundation, where he develops conservation partnerships that improve water stewardship and offers technical and strategic oversight to […]

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Sage Brown   Website

A Closer Look at the Proposed Sutton Mountain National Monument

Author: Mark Salvo  |  Published: March 1, 2022  |  Category: In the News  In November 2021, Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden introduced the Sutton Mountain and Painted Hills […]

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Celia Bell

Renee Patrick

Renee Patrick

Aaron Tani

Malheur NF Springs Fencing

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

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Sage Brown   Website

Denny Jones Ranch Restoration

Denny Jones Ranch is a conservation property, east of Juntura, owned by the Burns Paiute Tribe. ONDA has been working with the Burns Paiute Tribe to achieve their restoration goals […]

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McDermitt Creek Lithium Mine Site Visit

This trip is full and accepting volunteers for the waitlist.

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Bryan Andresen

Bryan Andresen

Trout Creek Group Monitoring Trip

Join ONDA to help us improve an important migration corridor in the Trout Creek Mountains. This trip will start a fence-line monitoring project to document barbed wire fences in the […]

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Eleanor Burke

South Fork Riparian Planting

Join us for another spring season of tree planting on the South Fork Crooked River. We will be using our brains more, and our backs less, to plant 5,000 trees […]

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Deigh Bates

Lake Abert At Risk

Author: Anne White  |  Published Date: February 2, 2022  |  Category: In the News Following The Oregonian’s investigative reporting about the State of Oregon’s mismanagement of Lake Abert, many people […]

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Meet Reid Williams

ONDA’s 2021 Conservationist of the Year Often the most important contributions to conservation are not the flashiest actions, but quiet acts of service. Luckily, people like Reid Williams see the […]

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Protected: Beatys Butte Targeted Grazing Monitoring

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Meet Mary Powell

Author: Allison Crotty  |  Published: February 2, 2022  |  Category: Profile ONDA’s 2021 Alice Elshoff Award Recipient Mary Powell is a woman of many talents. Need to spruce up an […]

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Greg Burke

Lake Abert

In the southeastern corner of Oregon, a hidden wonder shimmers — Lake Abert. When full, Lake Abert covers 65 square miles and is the sixth largest lake in Oregon. It […]

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Brothers Fence Trip #6

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Brothers Fence Trip #9

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Jim Davis

In Memory of Devon Comstock

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: January 31, 2022  |  Category: Profile At the end of 2021, we lost a former staff person and longtime member of the ONDA community, Devon […]

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Devlin Holloway

The House of the Birds

This essay was written by Devon Comstock in June of 2010 while she was working for Oregon Natural Desert Association, following a trip into the West Little Owyhee. Special thanks […]

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Brothers Fence Trip #7

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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George Wuerthner

John Waller   Website

Wonders by Day and Night

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: January 14, 2022  |  Category: Where-to    A  month-by-month guide to appreciating Oregon’s high desert As the tenth largest state in the union, Oregon offers […]

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Clarno Harvest #2

Join the winter tradition of harvesting willows at the Clarno Nursery for use in restoration projects this spring!

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Clarno Harvest #3

Join the winter tradition of harvesting willows at the Clarno Nursery for use in restoration projects this spring!

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Brothers Fence Trip #5

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Brothers Fence Trip #4

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Brothers Fence Trip #3

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Brothers Fence Trip #2

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Brothers Fence Trip #1

Spend a day building fences to support sage-grouse research!

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Richard Eltrich

Wildlife Migrations in the West

In the finale of ONDA’s 2022 High Desert Speaker Series, professor Arthur Middleton will cover the basic ecology of ungulate migrations in the western United States. He’ll then profile threats […]

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Ellen Bishop

Small Splendors, Vast Landscapes

Continuing ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series, Ellen Bishop will present “Small Splendors, Vast Landscapes.” Oregon’s deserts offer serene and yet provocative landscapes that invite contemplation. Yet sometimes, in viewing their […]

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Steve McBurnett

Reclaiming Conservation

Kicking off ONDA’s 2022 High Desert Speaker Series is a conversation with filmmaker Faith E. Briggs. For years, Faith would run through the streets of Brooklyn each morning, before turning […]

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Karina Diaz

Meet Lily Pifferini-Carter

In 2021, ONDA launched the Hillis Internship, a paid internship program that offers young people a more equitable pathway to become our next conservation leaders. Lily Pifferini-Carter started in October […]

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Mark Darnell

2021 in Review

Every year, the steadfast and tenacious support of desert advocates like you makes it possible to reach new milestones and realize long-term conservation goals. With 2021 coming to a close, […]

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Vince Ready

Native American Heritage Month

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Published: November 22, 2021  |  Category: In the News November is Native American Heritage Month In Oregon and throughout the Americas, Indigenous communities’ connection to the […]

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John Waller   Website

10 Ways to Immerse
Yourself in the Desert

Author: Corinne Handelman |  Published: November 17, 2021  |  Category: Look Back Choose your desert immersion adventure  It’s officially “shoulder season.” Autumn is past its prime; winter hasn’t fully […]

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Tyson Fisher   Website

Your responses are in!

Author: Corinne Handelman |  Published: November 11, 2021  |  Category: Look Back The results of our most recent member survey This fall, we asked you — ONDA members — what’s […]

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Mark Darnell

New National Monument Proposed for Sutton Mountain

On November 3, 2021, Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden introduced the Sutton Mountain and Painted Hills Area Wildfire Resiliency Preservation and Economic Enhancement Act in Congress today. This legislation […]

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David Sherril

Stories from the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick  |   Category: Where-to Getting ready to go on a day-long, week-long or month-long adventure on the Oregon Desert Trail? You can learn so much by seeing how […]

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Shannon Phifer   Website

Wild Desert Calendar Virtual Gallery

A Captivating Year in Oregon’s High Desert is now closed.

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Kevin Clark

Essential, a film premiere

Save the date for the premiere of our newest short documentary, “Essential.” Oregon’s high desert is an arid landscape, defined by the scarcity of water, but that does not mean […]

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Kevin Clark

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, […]

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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 […]

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Speak Up for the Big Quiet

The time period to comment on this item has now closed. Please subscribe to ONDA’s newsletter to learn about upcoming opportunities.  Military training threatens remarkable wildlife, wildlands and waterways across […]

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Streamside Story: John Hartog

Author: Joanna Zhang  |  Published: September 28, 2021  |  Category: Profiles “I guess I would describe myself as an urban dwelling nature lover, an advocate for native ecosystem conservation, and […]

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A Love Story:
Mary Powell & Harv Hillis

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Published: September 28, 2021  |  Category: Profile Many people contribute their time, talent and passion to make desert conservation successful. Today, we introduce you to two […]

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Protected: Jack Creek Monitoring Project

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Protected: Slocum Creek Monitoring Project

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Protected: Sucker Creek Monitoring Project

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Karina Diaz

Karina joined the ONDA team in 2021. As development coordinator, she maintains community engagement and fosters a connection to Oregon’s high desert, coordinates office volunteers and plans events. If you are […]

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James Parsons

Oregon River Reads

Author: Joanna Zhang | Published: August 27, 2021 | Categories: Uncategorized Four Stories That Will Inspire You to Protect Oregon’s Rivers  Late summer is synonymous with days in and along […]

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Courtesy of Carly Swisher

Return to the Oregon Desert Trail

Carly “Quill” Swisher started a thru-hike of the Oregon Desert Trail in the late spring of 2020, but had to get off in McDermitt, Nevada. Undeterred, she went back June […]

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Renee Patrick

How To: Go from Desert Hiker
to Desert Steward

Hello, you! Did you know that the Oregon Desert Trail was made for you? ONDA crafted this route connecting all the most beautiful places in the high desert with this […]

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Dave White

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 […]

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Jim Davis

18 Trail Towns
Along the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick  | Updated: August 24, 2021  |  Category: Where-To Curious about where to find a shower, meal, or museum while you are exploring the high desert? The extensive […]

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Steve Vidito

21 Day Hikes
Along the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick  | Updated: August 17, 2021  |  Category: Where-to Intrigued by the Oregon Desert Trail but don’t have the time or inclination to hike all 750 miles? These […]

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Corinne Handelman

Multi-Sport Adventures
Along the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick  | Updated: August 17, 2021  |  Category: How-to Hiking may be the most common way to approach the 750-mile Oregon Desert Trail, but there are many other […]

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Corinne Handelman

Multi-Day Loop Hikes
Along the Oregon Desert Trail

Author: Renee Patrick  | Updated: August 17, 2021  |  Category: How-to Longing for an adventure that will have you away from home for several nights? In this post, we are […]

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2021 Lineup

Join us on Friday, October 1, 2021 for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, presented by E2 Solar. This year’s festival will be a virtual, streamed-in-HD showcase of films that […]

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Tyson Fisher   Website

Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Reward – How to Recreate Safely in Oregon’s High Desert

The recording of this event is available on ONDA’s YouTube channel.  Would you know what to do if you were injured while exploring the desert? In April 2019, Oregon Desert […]

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How-to: Playa Like a Pro

Author: Renee Patrick  | Published: August 12, 2021  |  Category: How-to The Alvord Desert Wilderness Study Area is an iconic attraction in Oregon’s high desert. The 50-mile long Steens Mountain […]

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Envisioning Wild: 2022 Wild Desert Calendar Virtual Exhibit

ONDA’s 2022 Wild Desert Calendar virtual exhibit, “Envisioning Wild,” opens on November 10! Tour our virtual gallery of wild, wonderous and inspiring images of Oregon’s high desert landscapes and wildlife […]

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Olivia Guethling

Meet Legacy Donors John Bauman
and Jenny Zimmerman

Author: Corinne Handelman  |  Published: August 2, 2021  |  Category: Profile Exploring creative ways to advance desert conservation For John Bauman and Jenny Zimmerman, retiring to Central Oregon felt like […]

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Beth Macinko

“A diverse and magical place”

Tribal Stewards reflect on the 2021 season In early July, we introduced you to the 2021 Tribal Stewards crew. Now that they have wrapped up their five-week session of restoration […]

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Protected: Volunteer From Home ISP Projects

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Nate Wilson

Reimagine Your Public Lands

Author: Lace Thornberg  |   Published: July 14, 2021  |  Updated: September 17, 2021 | Category: In the News National Public Lands Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Saturday in […]

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Craig Miller

Climate change. Drought. Wildfire.

Author: Jeremy Austin  |  Published: July 13, 2021  |  Category: In the News Each morning, as Google populates my inbox with news stories from across the Sagebrush Sea, one word […]

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Scott Erickson

Meet ONDA’s Development Team

Author: Corinne Handelman  |  Published: July 7, 2021  |  Category: Profile These five members of ONDA’s staff keep you connected to desert conservation year-round. Allison Crotty, Development Director What I […]

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Protected: Wildlife Monitoring

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Meet the 2021 Tribal Stewards Crew

This summer, a determined crew of Indigenous young adults is gaining professional experience in conservation, restoration and natural resource management, as our second season of the Tribal Stewards initiative, run […]

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Jacob Stanfield

Where-to: Have the Most Incredible Picnic in the Owyhee

Author: Joanna Zhang  |  Published: June 24, 2021  |  Category: Where-to Take your outdoor dining experience to the next level with one of these scenic picnic spots in the Owyhee […]

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Donna Raynalds

Helping Fish, Addressing Fire and Drought

Author: Beth Macinko  |  Published: June 21, 2021  |  Categories: Look Back ONDA volunteers plant thousands of willow and repair fences in the Malheur watershed The native bull trout and […]

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Renee Patrick

A Justice, Equity and Inclusion Update

Author: Ryan Houston  |  Published: June 18, 2021  |  Category: In the News, Looking Back, Looking Ahead Today, our country is observing Juneteenth as a federal holiday for the first […]

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Rick Samco   Website

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival! Join us for an evening of short films showcasing our earth’s natural wonders and the amazing stories of activists working […]

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Renee Patrick

America the Beautiful

Reaction to the Biden administration’s 30 by 30 report In May 2021, the Biden administration published “Conserving and Restoring  America the Beautiful,” a highly anticipated report on the president’s commitment to […]

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Cody Hess

Streamside Story: Cody Hess

Author: Joanna Zhang  |  Published: June 3, 2021  |  Category: Profiles “While I was out there, I didn’t see a single person, didn’t hear an airplane or truck. There was […]

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Jason Houston

A Look Back at the
2021 High Desert Speaker Series

Author: Caelin Weiss  |  Published: April 28, 2021  |  Category: Look Back Each spring, ONDA presents the High Desert Speaker Series to share knowledge about intriguing aspects of high desert […]

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Protected: Alvord Desert Monitoring

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Protected: Steens Mountain Wilderness Recreation Monitoring

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Protected: ODT/Fremont Forest Recreation Monitoring

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Protected: Badlands Wilderness Recreation Monitoring

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Protected: Murderers Creek Riparian Monitoring

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BLM

Protected: Malheur Wild & Scenic River Monitoring

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My Desert Adventure:
Bikepacking in the Owyhee

Author: Ben Groeneveld & Kevin Briggs  |  Published: April 16, 2021  |  Category: Where-To; Profile  “Where’s all your food?” the concerned sheriff asked, as he examined my packed bike near […]

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Meet Three Healthcare Professionals
Dedicated to the Desert

Author: Caelin Weiss |  Published: April 14, 2021  |  Category: Profile As we are all more acutely aware than ever, healthcare professionals and other frontline and essential workers play an […]

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ONDA

Group Volunteer Opportunities

Is your school or community group, hiking club, or business interested in volunteering with ONDA? Fill out the interest form below to let us know a little more about your […]

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Meet Four of ONDA’s
Members in the Sciences

Author: Hana Sant |  Published: April 5, 2021  |  Category: Profile ONDA’s members come to us from a wide range of backgrounds, each with a unique path that has led […]

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My Desert Adventure: Paddling Oregon’s Grand Canyon

Author: Ajay Sapre  |  Published: April 2, 2021  |  Category: Profile A Portlander comes to understand that a trip down the Owyhee is about more than chasing rapids — it’s about […]

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Shannon Phifer

Letter to the Editor: Not like the other birds

We received a curious letter recently and wanted to share it with our desert conservation community.  Dear Human News Media, April has arrived and I am cringing because I know […]

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Streamside Story: Victoria Fischella

Author: Joanna Zhang  |  Published: March 26, 2021  |  Category: Profiles An avid rafter and river restoration specialist, Victoria Fischella has always been fascinated by the importance of rivers.

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The New Secretary of the Interior

All in for Haaland By now you’ve probably heard that the U.S. Senate confirmed former Congresswoman Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior. The bipartisan vote on March 15, 2021 […]

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Tara Lemezis

Where-To:
Seeking Spring in Central Oregon

Spring is fast approaching in the high desert. As the daylight hours grow longer, signs of the shifting season can be seen popping up across the region. The desert will […]

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Nate Wilson-Traisman

Nate Wilson-Traisman, member since 2019

“My greatest hope is that Oregon’s desert continues to gain public lands protections, and is guarded from unsustainable development, so that future generations may benefit from all the region has […]

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Christof Teuscher

Protected: Oregon Desert Trail Impact Monitoring

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Protected: Burnt Car Road Monitoring

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Jim Davis

Protected: Horseshoe Meadow Lek/Grazing Monitoring

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Protected: Prineville WSA Monitoring

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Notes from the Desert

Oregon Natural Desert Association takes a holistic approach to conservation in Oregon’s high desert, pairing efforts to protect large landscapes with intensive on-the-ground restoration. Here are recaps from a few […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Donate Today!

Your gift to Oregon Natural Desert Association conserves lands, waterways and wildlife in the high desert. A gift of any size will begin or renew your ONDA membership.

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Scott Bowler

2020 Conservationist of the Year

Scott Bowler When we reached Scott to let him know that we wanted to acknowledge him as ONDA’s 2020 Conservationist of the Year, he was out on a hike along […]

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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 […]

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Chris Christie

From Wildflowers to Butterflies

A photographer’s collections helped inspire the effort to save native trout in the Malheur rivers by Mac Lacy The sagebrush sea lost a fierce champion when Chris Christie passed away […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Start 2021 Anew

Author: Corinne Handelman  |  Published: January 10, 2021  |  Category: How-To Fresh Ideas for your New Years Resolutions If living through 2020 taught us anything, we have reinforced lessons on […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Goals for the New Year

Each new year presents new opportunities to pursue our vision for Oregon’s high desert as a place where eight million acres of conserved public lands provide essential habitat for fish […]

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Jim Yuskavitch via ODFW

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 […]

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Meet Joanna Zhang

A Conservation Leader in the Making Please allow us to introduce our newest staff member, Joanna Zhang, who will be serving as our Conservation Fellow for the next two years. […]

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Monica Tomosy

Monica brings three decades of leadership experience working for federal agencies — the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) […]

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Joni Kabana

Conserving Your Connection

“One of my biggest personal feelings of loss for this terrible pandemic is that I had to give up these ONDA field trips.” When ONDA had to cancel our field-based […]

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Kyle Williams

Signs of Winter

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: Dec. 15, 2020  |  Updated: Dec. 21, 2021  |  Category: Phenology Winter may seem harsh, and it is indeed a difficult time to live outdoors, […]

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David Rein

High Desert Hootenanny

You’re invited to celebrate desert conservation and all your accomplishments. In 2024, Oregon Natural Desert Association will host two year-end celebrations. Join ONDA board, staff and supporters in celebrating the […]

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Greater Hart-Sheldon: Sagebrush Stronghold

The “Greater Hart-Sheldon: Sagebrush Stronghold” story map is a science based, user driven exploration of one of the last sagebrush strongholds on the planet. Check out the resources and content […]

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The Perfect Gift
for Everyone on Your List

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Updated: November 16, 2021  |  Category: How-To One Gift For Everyone on Your List Looking for a gift that is … beautiful, non-perishable, one size fits […]

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Devlin Holloway

Recognizing Native American Heritage Month

Author: Corinne Handelman |  Published: November 25, 2020  |  Category: In the News Desert conservationists, did you know …  That Oregon’s high desert lands and waters are the traditional lands […]

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Jim Davis

Devin Dahlgren

Add Your Voice

Author: Corie Harlan  |  Published: November 20, 2020  |  Updated: May 13, 2021  |  Category: How-To The Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act provides Malheur County with vital economic development […]

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Shannon Phifer   Website

Healthy Escapism

“A Year in Oregon’s High Desert” offers escapism you can feel good about Feeling stressed? A dose of natural beauty could help.   Studies have shown that spending time in a […]

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Natasha Bellis

Growing up in Wyoming and Utah, Natasha gained an early appreciation for wild and open spaces. Cultivating a love of the desert by roaming the canyon lands of southern Utah, […]

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Renee Patrick

20 Facts about Steens

The Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act was enacted twenty years ago, on October 30, 2000. As the Steens Act “turns 20” in 2020, here is a top twenty […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Jim Davis   Website

Zavi Borja

The Halfway Point

By Zavier Borja, Latino Outdoor Engagement Coordinator for Children’s Forest of Central Oregon The Painted Hills of eastern Oregon are one of the seven wonders that we have here in […]

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Shannon Phifer

Sage-grouse are down, but not out

Author: Jeremy Austin | Published: October 13, 2020 | Category: In the News The numbers are in. Oregon’s sage-grouse population essentially remained flat in 2020. Following years of steep declines, […]

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James Parsons   Website

Steens Next 20

by Senior Attorney Mac Lacy Steens Mountain is an extraordinary place. Known to the Northern Paiute as Tse’tse’ede, “the Cold One,” the mountain covers an ecologically distinctive, half-million acre landscape […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Steens Act Turns 20

Known by the Northern Paiute as Tse’tse’ede, the Steens is both a historic homeland and an unparalleled treasure in Oregon’s high desert. The largest fault block mountain in North America, […]

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Mark Darnell   Website

11 Inspiring Films

Join us on Friday, October 2, 2020 for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, presented by E2 Solar. This year’s festival will be a virtual, streamed-in-HD celebration of the best […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

Let Oregon’s elected leaders know: It’s time to protect the Owyhee!

The Owyhee Canyonlands are the wildest stretch of Oregon’s high desert. It is the largest unprotected expanse of public lands in the Lower 48. And, the time to protect this […]

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John Alyward

Signs of Fall

Autumn is a time of transition in Oregon’s high desert. The cooler days and cooler nights bring a wave of rust-red and brilliant yellow hues into this generally sage-green and […]

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Rick Samco

Species Spotlight:
Quaking Aspen

Author: LeeAnn Kriegh  |  Published: September 15, 2020  |  Category: Species Spotlight Why Aspen Quake The day I fell in love with Central Oregon, I woke to the sound of […]

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Jim Davis

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 […]

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Bill Sullivan

Hole in the Ground

Hike to Hole in the Ground, one of author William L. Sullivan’s favorite high desert destinations! This weird, half-mile-wide pit really looks like a meteorite crater, but it is in […]

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Matt Wastradowski   Website

Sutton Mountain Dazzles,
Inspires in Equal Measure

Author: Matt Wastradowski  | Published: August 20, 2020  |  Updated: November 3, 2021  |  Categories: Where-to; In the News You may have heard about the new proposal to establish a […]

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Meet Six Steady ONDA Members

ONDA turned 33 this year, and more than a few of our members have been with us ever since our founding in the mid-eighties. We love the perspective that those […]

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Sheila Dunn

Inspired by the Desert

Even if you are not an artist, you’ve probably wished you could somehow capture the way that sunlight paints the desert in subtle hues. For the six artists profiled below, […]

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Protect Desert Rivers

Senator Ron Wyden is looking to add more Wild & Scenic Rivers to Oregon’s legacy of protected waterways and you have the chance to conserve 825 miles of desert rivers […]

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Sean Bagshaw   Website

Desert Rivers

In Oregon’s high desert, water is life. Rivers, streams, creeks and lakes are critical to everything Oregonians value about desert public lands, from fish and wildlife to recreation and clean […]

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Devlin Holloway

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 […]

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Dennis Hanson

Signs of Summer

Author: Scott Bowler  |  Published: July 2, 2020  |  Updated: June 3, 2021  |  Category: Phenology Across Oregon’s high desert, plants and animals spend the summer months “searching” — for […]

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Elisa Cheng

Elisa Cheng grew up in California and Hawaii. She launched her web design career in 2002 spending a few years at an eCommerce company before realizing that her passion was […]

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Meet a Few of ONDA’s
Far-Flung Members

“ONDA helps me stay tethered to a part of the world that means a great deal to me personally and is critically important to Oregon’s biodiversity and history.” – ONDA […]

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Michelle Alvarado   Website

A New Chapter
for the Desert Trail in Oregon

By Renee Patrick, Program Coordinator for the Oregon Desert Trail When ONDA looked east in 2011 with the thought of establishing a desert hiking route that would connect into the […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Conservation Update:
Halfway Through 2020

Taking stock of these unprecedented times and all that our communities and the country have experienced in recent months, it is difficult to believe the year 2020 is only half […]

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Jim Stratton

Jim Stratton grew up in Oregon, but his career unfolded in Alaska. At the National Parks Conservation Association, he served as the Deputy Vice-President for Regional Operations and ran the […]

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Tyson Fisher   Website

Standing against
racism and injustice

Dear ONDA members: The recent, senseless murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and the threat of violence against Christian Cooper have shaken all of us. The protests […]

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Walking the High Desert

A new book about the Oregon Desert Trail debuts this month: Walking the High Desert: Encounters with Rural America along the Oregon Desert Trail, written by Ellen Waterston, published by […]

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James Parsons   Website

Six Alternative Ways to Give

Author: Claire Cekander  |  Updated:  November 22, 2022  |  Category: How-To  Eastern Oregon is home to extraordinarily intact sagebrush steppe, rushing waters that support abundant wildlife, a night sky studded […]

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Steve Roelof   Website

Renee Patrick

Please use Caution on that
Oregon Desert Trail Adventure

Please use caution with any Oregon Desert Trail plans due to COVID 19.  Last updated on February 1, 2021. Oregon cases of COVID-19 are still high in 2021, and even […]

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Anne White

Anne joined ONDA in 2016 as an intern in the first year of our Sage-Grouse Habitat Monitoring Program and fell in love the high desert. She’s held a number of […]

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Key Concepts in Riparian Restoration

Whether you’re learning about restoring streams and rivers for the first time, or you’re a life-long beaver believer, this list of resources will provide additional information on both how and […]

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Tim Neville

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 […]

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Chris Christie   Website

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 […]

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Mark Darnell

Getting Desert Desperate

Five Ideas Admittedly Not as Good as Being in the Desert  Standing in the middle of a vast sagebrush plain, kicking over lichen-crusted rocks, with nothing more to do than […]

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“My favorite spot on earth …”

When Sen. Ron Wyden invited Oregonians to nominate rivers and creeks for protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in fall 2019, hundreds of people spoke up to nominate […]

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Drawn to Nests

One day in spring of 2014, I started drawing bird nests. I didn’t stop for almost a year. These drawings began as a way for me to explore my curiosity […]

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Jon Lee

Fifteen Exceptional Volunteers

Earlier this year, we highlighted Ten Superlative ONDA Volunteers. While it’s National Volunteer Week, we’d like to introduce you to fifteen more unique and highly dedicated members of ONDA’s desert […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Recreation Resources

Conditions on the ground in Oregon’s high desert can change rapidly and recreational facilities can become partially or fully closed due to any number of circumstances, including snowfall, wildfire — […]

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Greg Burke   Website

What Can I Do?

Last Updated: April 14, 2020 It’s mid-April 2020 and we are seeing a positive response to Governor Brown’s stay at home order that is helping to keep COVID-19 cases at […]

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Bruce Couch

Mark Darnell

Member Profile:
Whitney “Allgood” LaRuffa

If you have been following the development of the Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) over the past few years, you are probably aware that one of its primary goals is to […]

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Vince Ready

High Desert Academy

Welcome to our digital event community ONDA launched this digital events series in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. When everyone was following directives to stay close to home, […]

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BLM

A Thru-Hiker’s Message – Stay Home

An Oregon Desert Trail Thru-hiker Recounts a Decision To Get Off the Trail  post by Riley Manning It’s a scary time right now.  As the flowers bloom and the days […]

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Greg Burke

Signs of Spring

By Scott Bowler and Lace Thornberg After months of rejuvenating itself in subtle ways, Oregon’s high desert begins pulsing with undeniable signs of spring’s arrival in March, April and May. […]

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Renee Patrick

Oregon’s High Desert
Amid an Outbreak

The sun on our faces, the scent of sagebrush carried by a breeze, a distant call of raptors flying overhead, and the crunch of bare earth below our feet. We […]

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Michael O'Casey

Ten Superlative Volunteers

Oregon’s high desert is a unique place, full of magic and wonder. The same could be said of those people who give their time and attention so generously to its […]

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are you taking part in one of ONDA’s stewardship trips, or thinking about it? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.   How much does it cost to volunteer? […]

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Head Start for Members

Thank you for your commitment to ONDA as a member! In appreciation, we’d like to give you a running start at registering for 2020 trips. While trip registration opens to […]

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ONDA Archive

Susie Defazio

Michael O'Casey

Sam Hartman

Greg Burke

Devlin Holloway

Greg Shine, BLM   Website

Aaron Tani

Mark Molner

Susie Defazio

Why do pronouns matter to ONDA?

ONDA respects gender identity. We understand that we cannot assume to know each others’ pronouns by our names or appearance. For some of us, it is a privilege to not […]

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Olivia Guethling

Understanding the National Environmental Policy Act

What is the National Environmental Policy Act? The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 is the federal law that requires federal agencies to plan carefully for conservation and management of […]

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Mark Salvo

As Conservation Director, Mark Salvo is responsible for supporting Oregon Natural Desert Association’s dedicated conservation staff and empowering our members to advance campaigns to protect, defend and restore wildlands, wildlife […]

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Boots, Bikes, Boats
Willamette Valley Tour

Recreation meets conservation along the Oregon Desert Trail! Come to one of these talks in the Willamette Valley to get ideas for hiking, biking or boating your way through Oregon’s high […]

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2019 Conservationist of the Year

“I knew the forests of Central Oregon really well, but the desert was all new to me. The colors of the landscape and the views … just wow.”  –ONDA member […]

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Michelle Bauer

Meet Corie Harlan

An Owyhee Canyonlands Champ If you take solace in knowing that wild places like the Owyhee Canyonlands exist, then you’ve benefitted from Corie Harlan’s work at ONDA. You can get […]

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Jim Davis

Appreciating Stormy Skies

Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “A Sideways Look at Clouds,” is fascinated by clouds. In this post, she identifies the clouds seen in the stormy skies over Oregon’s high desert. […]

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Bend Senior High Environmental Club

Why We’re Nominating
Whychus Creek

The following Wild and Scenic River nomination was written by the Bend Senior High School Environmental Club. Whychus Creek: a Nomination as a Wild and Scenic River We rely on […]

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Clarno Harvest #1

Join the winter tradition of harvesting willows at the Clarno Nursery for use in restoration projects this spring!

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Renee Patrick

51 Rivers That Could
Be Wild and Scenic

Author: Renee Patrick | Published: January 2, 2022 | Category: In the News Dear Senator Wyden, Thank you for your visionary leadership to preserve Oregon’s wild rivers, clean water, and […]

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Andrew Sambuceto

Five New Year’s Resolutions
that Help Oregon’s Desert and You

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s no denying that New Year’s resolutions are a thing. In “8 Reasons We Really Do Need to Make Resolutions,” Dr. Theo Tsaousides concludes that […]

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Greg Burke

Mary Gautreaux –
2019 Alice Elshoff Desert Conservation Award winner

“The deeper truth is that anybody who knows Mary knows she is an original and unforgettable force of nature — fierce on behalf of Oregonians, bold in her problem-solving, always […]

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Bruce couch   Website

How To Upcycle
Last Year’s Wild Desert Calendar

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar is chock full of desert beauty, and, each year around this time, we hear from members who simply can’t bear to just throw last year’s calendar […]

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Thank you for taking action!

Looking for more ways to support high desert conservation? Your gift to Oregon Natural Desert Association conserves lands, waterways, and wildlife in the high desert. 

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Jim Davis

We hear you

The results of our most recent member survey This fall, ONDA sent you, our members, a note with a question: what matters most to you?  Almost 500 of you responded […]

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Gena Goodman-Campbell

Opt Outside,
Act for Desert Rivers

Escape the Black Friday crowds and #OptOutside to a wild river near you! Sen. Ron Wyden is asking Oregonians to help him develop legislation to protect Oregon’s most special rivers, […]

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Stewardship Impact 2019

ONDA’s stewardship program connects eager volunteers with meaningful projects to improve fish and wildlife habitat across eastern Oregon. Beyond the satisfaction of seeing a job well done, each volunteer gains […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Tribal Stewards

ONDA launched our Tribal Stewards program in 2019 to provide paid opportunities for Indigenous youth and young adults to work on restoration projects and gain experience in conservation and stewardship […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Alder Springs

Located on Lower Whychus Creek, Alder Springs is an oasis in the high desert. The trail starts at the top of the Whychus Creek Canyon, where you’ll enjoy wide open […]

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A Major Milestone
for the Owyhee Canyonlands

An impressive and critically important swath of sagebrush steppe habitat in eastern Oregon poised to gain protection as Wilderness On November 7, 2019, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden introduced the Malheur […]

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Sean Bagshaw

High Desert Speaker Series
Bigger and Better in 2020

Each year, ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series highlights the wildlife, geology, culture, history, recreation and other unique and worthy-of-protection elements of Oregon’s high desert. In 2019, we were amazed by […]

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Greg Burke   Website

We Challenged, You Hiked

ONDA’s Badlands Challenge prompted discovery, exploration, and a lot of math In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Oregon Badlands Wilderness designation, ONDA hosted a six-month-long exploration challenge. After ONDA […]

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Before and After Stewardship

The difference that ONDA volunteers can make in just a few hours or days of working together is pretty incredible. Here are a few before and after pictures to give […]

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Greg Burke

How to nominate a river
for Wild and Scenic protection

Oregon can already claim to be the state with the most Wild and Scenic Rivers, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has a not-so-secret goal to make Oregon the state with […]

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David Rein

High Desert Hootenanny: Bend

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association board, staff and supporters in celebrating the many high desert conservation successes you achieved in 2022! Come to Aspen Hall in Bend on Friday, December […]

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BLM

Is the DOI dismantling the BLM?

Having a hard time keeping up with public lands news lately? We can’t blame you. The instability in the White House certainly makes all issues hard to track and follow, […]

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Amy Wilkins

Facing Climate Change Head On

Earlier this summer, we sat down for a conversation with Tia Hatton, just as she was wrapping up her service as a Wildlands Intern for Oregon Natural Desert Association. Tia […]

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Kyle Meck

Meet Felice Kelly

Passionate desert advocate Since moving to Oregon in 2016, Felice Kelly discovered Oregon’s dry side and was immediately inspired, saying, “Once I made it out to the high desert, I […]

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Greg Shine, BLM

Get to Know the Owyhee River

One of Oregon’s 58 officially designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. Located in southeastern Oregon and reaching across the corner of Idaho to its headwaters in northeastern Nevada, 35 percent of […]

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Dave Kohli

Autumn – The Best Time to Visit Oregon’s Desert?

Spring, summer and winter are all strong contenders, but there’s mounting evidence that autumn could be the very best season to visit Oregon’s high desert. Consider … Temperature – Daytime […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

An Owyhee Mis-Adventure
Inspires Life-Long Mission

When a young David Rumsey’s car broke down in the far reaches of the Owyhee Canyonlands in the late 1970s, he didn’t have any of the devices we’ve come to […]

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BLM

Anti-Public Lands Activist
Now Running BLM

The Bureau of Land Management’s new acting director, William Perry Pendley, is a longtime proponent of selling off public lands and waters The Trump administration’s move to appoint William Perry […]

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Greg Burke

Anderson Crossing

Anderson Crossing is at the start of Section 21 of the ODT. This can be accessed by high clearance vehicles (high water years may make the trip impossible as you […]

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Devin Dahlgren

Birch Creek

From the Birch Creek Ranch, follow an old road/trail that heads upstream for about a mile before the path disappears. If you want to continue hiking, stay on the east […]

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Tribal Stewards Program
Provides Career Mentorship

In early July, a crew of young adults – CeCe Andy (Warm Springs and Yakama), Monique Moody (Wasco and Northern Paiute) and Dakota Pablo (Pima and Navajo) led by Tiyana […]

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Only You Can Prevent
Sagebrush Fires

You might think of forests when you think “wildfire,” but, as OPB reported in May, nearly 75 percent of all acres burned in the west over the past two decades […]

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See the World from
a Butterfly’s Point of View

I wonder if butterflies might get annoyed by all the poetic language they attract. They’re “tiny rainbows,” “flying flowers,” or “ephemeral angels.” We use them as metaphors for transformation and […]

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Mary McCord, ONDA Volunteer

“I find enjoyment in the peaceful wide open spaces, geology, and rich history of Oregon’s high desert,” says Mary. Reflecting on volunteering, she continues, “If you have the ability and […]

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Tim Neville

Tim Neville, journalist

“Oregon’s Owyhee reminds me a lot of Southern Utah’s red rock country… only dipped in fudge.”

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John Cunningham, ONDA member and volunteer

Restoration is hard slow work. It takes hold, or it doesn’t, in fits and starts. The immensity of the need can be discouraging, but we must carry on. I am […]

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Michelle Frisella, member since 2017

So proud of ONDA and its members and volunteers. Such hard work gets done. To use an overused word, this is patriotism!

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Carl Axelsen, member since 1999

You folks at ONDA really have your stuff together. Such a well-planned opportunity to comment, since figuring out how to connect with the gummint is off-putting. You make it work […]

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Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

“If I have to pick a favorite place in Oregon’s high desert, it would be Sutton Mountain, but I’m excited about all of the Wilderness Study Areas,” says Terry, adding, […]

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Sagebrush Sipper: Portland

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association staff and supporters for Sagebrush Sippers happy hour this summer. Mix and mingle, learn about new aspects of Oregon’s high desert, and find opportunities to […]

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Sagebrush Sipper: Bend

Join Oregon Natural Desert Association staff and supporters for a casual happy hour in our office this summer. Mix and mingle, learn about new aspects of Oregon’s high desert, and […]

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Corinne Handelman

How To: Raft the Lower Owyhee

Author: Corinne Handelman  |  Published: May 14, 2019  |  Category: How-To  |  Updated: December 28, 2021 Tips to plan your desert rafting trip Rafting the lower Owyhee River is a once-in-a-lifetime […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Mark Darnell

Abert Rim

Abert Rim is the largest exposed fault scarp in North America and, from the top, you will have a view of Lake Abert, Oregon’s most saline lake. Keep an eye […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Where To: Hart Mountain

Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge lies at the center of the Greater Hart-Sheldon Region in southeastern Oregon. Few established trails cross this vast region. Instead, desert enthusiasts have endless opportunities […]

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Brent Fenty

DeGarmo Canyon

From the base of Hart Mountain you can access this beautiful canyon complete with wildflowers, wildlife and waterfalls. Various hiking options from an easy walk to difficult climb can be […]

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J. Hertz

Three Amazing High Desert Inhabitants

Oregon’s high desert is a land of many superlatives. You’ll find North America’s fastest land mammal here, as well as its largest fault block mountain. Perhaps most intriguing are the […]

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Sean Bagshaw   Website

Hart Mountain Revealed Recap

During our 2019 High Desert Speaker Series, ONDA’s Hart-Sheldon Coordinator Jeremy Austin presented in both Bend and Portland. Here’s the “CliffsNotes” version of his for Hart Mountain Revealed talk. Where […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Desert Wilderness Retrospective

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 […]

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Grant Tandy

Dark Desert Skies

Author: Kody Osborne  | Published: March 29, 2019  | Categories: Where-To, How-To For those of us who have spent time in Oregon’s high desert, there is no need to explain […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Business Members

Oregon Natural Desert Association is proud to work alongside businesses, large and small, to accomplish our conservation goals. These business members contribute to our mission by providing funding, product donations, […]

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Safety Tips

Following these suggestions will help you travel safely through the high desert of eastern Oregon and enjoy fragile places responsibly. Desert Safety: Drink plenty of water. Eastern Oregon is arid, […]

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Michelle Alvarado   Website

Happy Birthday!
Oregon Desert Trail Turns Five

In the spring of 2014, ONDA released a basic map-set for an ambitious route we’d started to call the “Oregon Desert Trail.” It wasn’t long before a few hikers set […]

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Greg Burke

Badlands Challenge

The Oregon Badlands Wilderness, so named for its rugged and harsh terrain, lies just 15 miles east of Bend, Oregon, but arrive here and you might feel like you’ve stepped […]

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Meet Mary McCord

ONDA Volunteer Extraordinaire Over the past few years, Mary McCord went from being newly introduced to ONDA to becoming a frequent volunteer in Bend. Mary and her husband, Tom, attended […]

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Barb Rumer

Steens Mountain Travel Plan

Current Status Victorious! On appeal, the Ninth Circuit threw out BLM’s unlawful travel plan and critical wildlife habitat on Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon has been protected from motorized disruption. […]

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Devlin Holloway

Species Spotlight: Burrowing Owl

A Funny Little Owl By LeeAnn Kriegh Pronghorn are perhaps the most graceful animal native to the high desert country of Central and Eastern Oregon. Golden Eagles are the most […]

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Protected: Beatys Butte Fenceline Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Mark Darnell

How to Shoot a Desert Video

Videos can tell stories, convey ideas and immerse the viewer into an environment in ways that are difficult to achieve with photographs or the written word. And, with many video […]

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Mark Darnell

How to Shoot a Desert Video

Did you already read How to Shoot a Desert Video – Part 1 that covers planning for and shooting your video?  If so, check out this post to get some pointers […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Protected: Malheur Refuge Fence Mapping 

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Sam Hartman

Sam Hartman

Aaron Tani

Shey Hyatt

Mark Molner

Sage-Grouse Habitat

Goal Improve the chances for sage-grouse survival by monitoring the implementation of the 2015 Sage-Grouse Plan and ecological conditions of sage-grouse habitat in southeast Oregon. Timeline Project Start Year: 2016 […]

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Ben Gordon

Dave Rein

Protected: ONDA trips: no deposit

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Jim Davis   Website

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 […]

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Hana Sant

Hana joined ONDA in 2019. As our development manager, her role is to cultivate further support for ONDA by connecting our community to the importance of Oregon desert conservation while […]

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Devlin Holloway

The Creation Story
and the Malheur Cave

For the Paiute of the Great Basin of the American West, winter is storytelling season. Around the fires of Paiute camps and villages, storytellers passed on tribal visions of the […]

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Renee Patrick

Special Waters

Julie Weikel, a longtime ONDA member, wrote this essay about the wild waters of the Pueblo Mountains to nominate them for protection under the Wild and Scenic River act. Read […]

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A Conversation with
Kim Stafford

Author of a dozen books of poetry and prose, Kim Stafford is Oregon’s Poet Laureate for 2018 to 2020. He follows after Elizabeth Woody, who served as Oregon’s Poet Laureate from […]

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Jim Davis

Your 2019 Resolutions

Do you set resolutions for yourself to celebrate the new year? In 2019, let ONDA help you bring a bit of Oregon’s high desert into your plans for the year. […]

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Give yourself a pat on the back! You accomplished so much for Oregon’s desert this year! Flip through this year in review for just a handful of the many great […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Our Commitment to
Justice, Equity and Inclusion

At Oregon Natural Desert Association, we are creating a more inclusive conservation community by actively welcoming, engaging and collaborating with people of all backgrounds, perspectives, races, genders and ethnicities to […]

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Sage Brown   Website

A Brief History of Public Lands

Native lands first America’s public lands, including those in present-day eastern Oregon, are filled with signs of the Indigenous people who inhabited those areas since time immemorial. Rock art, artifacts […]

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Chase Jablonski

A Gift Appreciated Worldwide

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar Goes Abroad Giving a Wild Desert Calendar as a gift has become something of a tradition among a number of ONDA members. So, where do all […]

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Mark Darnell

Sutton Mountain

Gaining the summit of Sutton Mountain is attainable for hikers with moderate fitness and offers a reprieve from the snow-laden Cascades during most of the winter. Topping out at 4,694 […]

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Q&A with ONDA’s
new executive director

Over the course of two decades in the nonprofit sector, Ryan Houston has developed a reputation as a committed and effective leader in Oregon conservation, well known for strategic vision […]

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Meet Lizzy Potter

A desert advocate in profession and passion An Oregonian by choice and attorney by trade, Lizzy Potter has supported ONDA for about 10 years and feels a deep connection to […]

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Barb Rumer

Update your ZIP code

Hear about events and relevant conservation initiatives in your area. If you are a current ONDA member or you already receive our mail to your home, please fill out all […]

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Marshal Hedin

Three Tiny Creatures
of Oregon’s High Desert

Racing pronghorn. Soaring golden eagles. Charging salmon. Oregon’s high desert pulses with the movement of these great creatures, but it’s good to remember that the desert’s iconic animals, birds and […]

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Ryan Houston

Ryan stepped into ONDA’s executive director role in 2018, with 20 years of experience in the conservation sector under his belt. While serving as the executive director of the Bend-based […]

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Journey

If you read part one of Mark’s journey, you will recall his original plan to spend two months in the spring visiting lesser-known wilderness study areas (WSAs) and to bring back pictures […]

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Journey

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar spurred Mark Darnell to visit Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) throughout Oregon on the hunt for his own high desert images. Mark takes us through his adventures visiting […]

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Yes we can, by dam!

An ONDA volunteer recounts her first taste of field work during a South Fork Crooked River riparian restoration trip in October 2018. By Eleanor Burke

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Oregon: The Beaver State

What’s the story behind Oregon’s identification with this huge rodent? You may have heard Oregon referred to as the “Beaver State.” The American Beaver, Castor canadensis, is Oregon’s official state […]

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Make Your Comment Count

Public lands are one of our nation’s greatest assets. You have both the right and opportunity to share your thoughts on how public lands and resources should be managed during […]

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Renee Patrick

Best Bets for Fall

As the days cool down and our thoughts turn to cozy campfires and the first few flakes of snow, Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator Renee Patrick has rounded up a few […]

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Jim Davis   Website

How to find a hot spring in the dark

ONDA’s Owyhee Canyonlands Coordinator Corie Harlan shares a lesson learned from a particularly epic trip into the Owyhee. Three hours into our drive to Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, the AC quit […]

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Kevin Briggs

Bikepacking the Steens Loop

If you’ve ever dreamed of a desert bike trip circling Steens Mountain, this post from Central Oregon Wheelers members Ben Groeneveld and Kevin Briggs won’t do anything to dissuade you.

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Alan Majchrowicz   Website

Appreciating Clouds

If you’ve ever looked out over the desert and wondered what type of clouds were filling the sky, you’ll love this post. We invited Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “A […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Donate today!

Donate today to begin your ONDA membership and preserve your favorite high desert wild lands and waters. Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy, resilient public lands. Thank you for making high […]

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Wild & Scenic Film Festival returns to Bend

Will Nepali punk rocker Sareena Rai bag a first ascent? How does renowned climber and filmmaker Renan Ozturk define success? Where is the highest concentration of National Wild & Scenic […]

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Volunteer Opportunity: Owyhee October at Patagonia @ Bend

It’s Owyhee October, and Patagonia @ Bend is teaming up with the Owyhee Coalition, ONDA and local brewers to celebrate Oregon’s iconic Owyhee Canyonlands! Join us on Thursday, October 18 […]

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Chuck Gates

Species Spotlight: Bluebirds

Bluebirds of Happiness By LeeAnn Kriegh Is there any bird that inspires more passion and poetry than bluebirds? Henry David Thoreau, for one, wrote eloquently of the bird that “carries […]

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Corinne Handelman

Get into the Fremont

We hear a common refrain from people when they get back from a trip in the Fremont:  “I wish I’d gone hiking in the Fremont years ago! If only I’d […]

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Jim Davis

Al St. John

In Search of the
Elusive Long-nosed Snake

UPDATE: Long-nosed snakes confirmed in the Owyhee! On August 19, 2018, ONDA shared this blog article about the possibility of Long-nosed Snakes in southeastern Oregon, requesting documenting photos of sightings […]

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What Desert Public Lands
Mean To Me Now

By any measure, 2020 was a challenging year. Do you cherish your experiences your on public lands even more now? Are you interested in sharing your experiences exploring public lands […]

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Meet Mac Lacy

ONDA has protected millions of acres of public land throughout Oregon as a result of winning or successfully settling more than 85 percent of our federal actions since 2001. We […]

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Greg Shine, BLM

Wild and Scenic Rivers

The Wild and Scenic Rivers of Oregon’s Sagebrush Steppe. America’s rivers face many threats — dams and alteration, excessive use and pollution among them. Thankfully, the Wild and Scenic Rivers […]

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Sage Brown   Website

10 Summer Adventures in Eastern Oregon

Escape the heat, or at least take your mind off the dog days of summer, with these 10 adventures found around Oregon’s high desert and along the Oregon Desert Trail […]

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Trip of a Lifetime

ONDA member Robin Kaai recently took part in a stewardship trip in the John Day River Basin. Here she offers you her recap. Dear fellow ONDA members, When registration for ONDA’s […]

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Finding New Places to Love Through Stewardship and Protecting Them Through Sage Society

  Aaron Tani, an ONDA member since 2016, regularly volunteers on stewardship trips and contributes monthly as part of the Sage Society.  A Central Oregonian since 1986, Aaron has grown […]

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Renee Patrick

Getting Started in the Pueblos

About the Pueblo Mountains Part of the Great Basin, the Pueblo Mountains are a remote north-south oriented mountain range in southeastern Oregon and northwestern Nevada, just south of Steens Mountain […]

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Craig Miller

Migratory Birds of the High Desert

Author: Scott Donahue  |  Published: May 23, 2018  |  Category: Species Spotlight Every year, dozens of beloved bird species migrate from their part-time homes around the world back to the […]

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Thanks for subscribing to email!

Thank you for signing up for ONDA’s timely email updates with opportunities to take action, event invitations and conservation news!

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2018 Volunteer of the Year

Meet Terry Butler. A search for information about Sutton Mountain led Terry Butler to ONDA. In 2014, he joined an ONDA stewardship trip in Logan Valley. By 2015, Terry’s volunteering repertoire […]

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High Desert Speaker Series 2018

Eastern Oregon is an incredible place to live, work and explore, with thousands of stories just waiting to be revealed. ONDA’s popular High Desert Speaker Series features knowledgeable and inspiring […]

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Species Spotlight: Black Cottonwood

Where There’s Cottonwood, There’s Water. We recommend listening to this Cottonwood Canyon Riparian Soundscape while you read this Species Spotlight. At the new Riley Ranch Nature Reserve in Bend, a […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Donate today!

Donate today to renew your ONDA membership and preserve your favorite high desert wild lands and waters. Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy, resilient public lands. Thank you for making high […]

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Lloyd Irwin

Donate today!

Donate today to preserve your favorite high desert wild lands and waters. Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy, resilient public lands. Thank you for making high desert conservation a priority. A […]

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John Schubert

Desert Naturalist Hike Series

Discover the stories that lie hidden in the desert sagebrush on a hike with the Oregon Natural Desert Association. All are welcome but hike space is limited and pre-registration is required. See more information […]

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Sage Brown

How to Stay Hydrated

Finding water in the desert can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. If you were hiking 2 million to 10,000 years ago, finding water in Eastern Oregon would be easy […]

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Devlin Holloway

Learn to Strut

ONDA to teach sage-grouse mating dance to all members April 1, 2018 (BEND, Ore.)—What started as a rousing way to open up staff meetings soon spread to board meetings and stewardship trips, […]

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Making a Plan for the Greater Hart-Sheldon

Renowned for its vast wild lands and world-class wildlife, the Greater Hart-Sheldon features 3.2 million acres of Bureau of Land Management public lands that span 150 miles, from Fort Rock […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Sage Brown   Website

Alan Majchrowicz   Website

Alan Majchrowicz

Lakeview Resource Management Plan

How would you manage a few million acres of public lands in Oregon’s high desert? You will have a critical opportunity to answer that question when the Bureau of Land […]

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Renee Patrick

Ten Springtime Adventures

Have the longer days and warmer temps led you to experience bouts of day-dreaming and window-gazing? Put that wanderlust to work! Plan on your trip to the desert, and get […]

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Meet Michelle Smith and Sam Beebe

These ONDA members gave the classic American West road trip a public lands twist Inspired by a desire to see public lands across the West, Michelle Smith and Sam Beebe […]

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Alan Majchrowicz   Website

How to Take Better Photos of Oregon’s High Desert

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Published: March 9, 2018  | Updated: May 5, 2022  |  Categories: How-to   Five landscape photographers share their advice: knowledge, persistence, patience The arid landscape that covers […]

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Aaron Tani, Sage Society Member

“It feels good to support ONDA on a monthly basis, because I know they never stop supporting our public lands. ONDA works to help make our lands a better place […]

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Michael O'Casey

Going Public: Becoming a Public Land Leader

Brittany Leffel hosted a Public Land Leader gathering in December and wrote about her experience “going public”.   Behind every beloved trail is a crew of stewards working to preserve […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Sam Hartman

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

“I contribute to ONDA monthly because it adds up to a larger annual gift than what I’d be able to comfortably afford if I were to do a simple one-time […]

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LeeAnn Kreigh

Species Spotlight:
Mountain Mahogany

By LeeAnn Kriegh Trees live their lives on a different timescale than ours, so it helps to slow ourselves down to fully appreciate them. Certainly, a shrubby little tree like […]

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Jane Heisler, Sage Sustainers Member

I love to travel and I love the desert! Supporting ONDA monthly allows me to hit the road without forgetting Oregon’s high desert—even when I’m not there.

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Renee Patrick

Ten Winter Adventures
in the High Desert

Five for No Snow, Five for Snow. Winter in Oregon’s high desert can look and be quite different from one year to the next. A few years ago, copious snowfall […]

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Soundscapes

ONDA Volunteer John Hartog Tells High Desert Stories Through Sounds, Not Words. By John Dulzo Oregon Natural Desert Association volunteers are as diverse as the land they work so hard […]

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Corie Harlan

Painted Canyon Loop

If you love adventure and solitude, get ready to experience one of the best hikes in the Northern Owyhee Canyonlands. On the 8.5 mile Painted Canyon Loop (also known as […]

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Ursula Le Guin, author and desert lover

Ursula Le Guin, author and desert lover, dies at 88 On Monday, January 22, 2018, author Ursula LeGuin died at her home in Portland, Oregon. Le Guin is best known […]

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Barb Rumer

What Now for Sage-Grouse

Our Efforts to Protect an Imperiled Species Greater sage-grouse, a symbol of the Intermountain West, are in trouble. Despite the clear evidence of the species’ decline the Department of the […]

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Jim Davis

High Desert Speaker Series

Curious about the High Desert? ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series Presenters Have Stories and Knowledge To Share Do you know how many officially designated Wild and Scenic Rivers there are in eastern […]

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Clarno Harvest #2

Accepting volunteers for the waitlist

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Clarno Harvest #3

Accepting volunteers for the waitlist

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Sage Brown   Website

Here’s what you made possible in 2017

2017 has been somewhat akin to being caught on an exposed rocky outcropping in a lightning storm. But like the heavenly smell of sage after a good rain, there’s a […]

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2017 Oregon Desert Trail Milestones

ONDA members played a big part in the successes this year on the Oregon Desert Trail! Take a look below at some of the accomplishments this year:  

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We asked, you answered: Keep delivering conservation wins

The results of our most recent member survey In early November, we surveyed our members to check in on the work that matters most to you.  Nearly 300 of you […]

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Stewardship Trips

Registration for 2025 Spring Stewardship Trips is now open! For updates, subscribe to ONDA’s e-newsletter. Oregon Natural Desert Association hosts dozens of stewardship trips and independent stewardship projects each year. […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

Exploring ONDA.org

Welcome to ONDA’s website. Well, hello there reader! We hope this website brings you closer to Oregon’s high desert and inspires you to advocate for its protection.  

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High Desert Speaker Series

Each year Oregon Natural Desert Association hosts a speaker series featuring intriguing stories, exquisite photography, and fascinating natural history from the high desert and across the West. The 2025 High […]

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Greg Burke

Gabriel Amadeus Tiller   Website

Enter to Win

This contest is now closed.    

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Writing a Letter to the Editor

Who reads the newspaper? Your elected officials and your fellow concerned citizens! Getting your opinion published in your local paper can help bring important public lands issues to the attention […]

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Bruce Couch   Website

Protecting Public Lands

ONDA is the only organization dedicated exclusively to protecting Oregon’s high desert public lands. We work across millions of acres of eastern Oregon’s public lands to protect wilderness, conserve essential […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Spring Basin Wilderness

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 Wilderness, offers […]

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Jamey Pyles   Website

Submit your photos

If you have not already read about ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar, you can do so here.  By submitting photos, I agree to the following: I have full rights to the […]

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Mark Molner

Purchase Your Wild Desert Calendar

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar showcases the breathtaking beauty of Oregon’s high desert through a collection of stunning images generously donated by talented photographers. In addition to captivating landscapes, the calendar […]

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Michelle Bauer   Website

Craig Miller

Craig leads ONDA’s mapping, spatial analysis and field inventory work and plays an advisory role in ONDA’s conservation campaigns. While he officially joined the staff in 2019, his roots with […]

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Taylor Goforth, Sage Sustainers member

“I support ONDA on a monthly basis as a way I can keep in touch with the root of my conservation ethic and allow for their strong advocacy work to […]

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Scott Bowler, ONDA member from Portland

“The desert speaks for itself, but very softly. I support ONDA to promote and enable discovery of the amazing beauty and recreational opportunities of the high desert by much broader […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Cregg Large, member since 2009

“I came to Oregon 12 years ago from Texas. Texas, for all its size, has very little public land. Coming to Oregon has made me realize the special gift we […]

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Craig Terry, ONDA member and stewardship volunteer

“The people I have had the privilege to share time with each season keep me volunteering again and again. Who else but those ONDA staff leaders would make fresh coffee […]

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Devlin Holloway

Badger

Badgers are generally nocturnal, but, in remote areas with no human encroachment, they are routinely observed foraging during the day. They prefer open areas with grasslands, which can include parklands, […]

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Devlin Holloway

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 […]

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Devlin Holloway

Western Rattlesnake

Also known as the Great Basin Rattlesnake, these pit vipers have buff-tan coloring and small, oval blotches to blend into their arid surroundings. Small heat-sensing indentations on each side of […]

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Devlin Holloway

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 […]

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Devlin Holloway

Young Desert Horned 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 […]

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Devlin Holloway

Bitteroot

Bitteroot blooms on north-facing cliffs in western North America. The Paiute name for bitteroot is kangedya. Traditional Native American uses of the plant included eating the roots, mixed with berries and […]

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Water Chart Directions

How to use the water chart while on the trail On your smart phone click link: https://goo.gl/GMwXsE When document is open in Google Sheets (you may have to download Google […]

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What defines Oregon’s high desert?

Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Blue Mountains to the north, Oregon’s high desert covers approximately 24,000 square miles. Annual rainfall in the high desert varies […]

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Devlin Hollloway

Devlin Holloway

Sage Brown   Website

Devlin Holloway

Daniel Sherman

Devlin Holloway

Devlin Holloway

Greg Burke   Website

Ryan “Dirtmonger” Sylva, ODT thru-hiker 2017

“To me, it’s a thru-hike in an isolated place that promotes a conversation in land management, ethics and usage. Hiking across a vast and remote landscape and having a random […]

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Connecting Trails

The Oregon Desert Trail ties into two National Recreation Trails: the Fremont National Recreation Trail and Desert Trail.

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Dave Rein

Oregon Desert Land Trust

ONDA launched the Oregon Desert Land Trust to support our public land conservation aims by preserving the wild character of ecologically important private lands in Oregon’s high desert. ONDA successfully […]

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Elisa Cheng, member since 2013

“ONDA stewardship trips inspire me. I get to learn new things and see new places, and in the process perform important work that improves the wildlife habitat.”

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

Far from Big Macs

There is a point in the Owyhee region, in northwestern Nevada, that is, at 115 miles away, as far away as you can get from a McDonalds in the U.S. […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

Our Vision, Mission and Values

Vision We envision a high desert in Oregon where eight million acres of public lands are conserved to ensure that fish and wildlife thrive and wild places exist for all […]

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Tyson Fisher   Website

365 Days of Beauty

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar highlights the beauty of Oregon’s high desert In 2004, a crew of motivated, scrappy and talented Oregon Natural Desert Association supporters dreamed up the idea of […]

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Jeremy Fox

Wildhorse Lake

Wildhorse Lake fills the bottom of a deep cirque with high surrounding walls on three sides that give way on one side to an open view of the horizon beyond. […]

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Renee Patrick

Steens Mountain Summit

On your way to the top of Steens Mountain Summit trailhead, you’ll pass by two amazing viewpoints that involve short walks—Kiger Gorge and the East Rim—and we recommend stopping at […]

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Bruce Jackson   Website

Oregon’s first desert wilderness

Steens Mountain: Oregon’s first desert wilderness On October 30, 2000, Congress passed the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act, finishing the work that had taken ONDA and the other […]

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Sage Brown   Website

About the Photographers and Videographers

All of the images and short films you see on this website, as well as in the Wild Desert Calendar, throughout our print and digital publications and on social media, […]

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James Parsons   Website

Sage Sustainers Membership

Live your values with a monthly gift in support of Oregon’s desert public lands, waterways, and wildlife. Sage Sustainers members propel critical conservation efforts alongside a dynamic community of advocates. […]

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Wild Desert Calendar Submissions

Calling all photographers! Use your creativity and talent to support conservation. Submit your best shots of Oregon’s high desert for a chance to have your photos featured in our iconic […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Legacy Giving

Legacy gifts are about planning for the future – your future and the future of Oregon’s wild desert lands, waterways and wildlife. Contact Claire Cekander at (503) 703-1006 or email to discuss […]

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Shannon Phifer   Website

Wild Desert Calendar

Each year, Oregon Natural Desert Association shares awe-inspiring photography from Oregon’s dry side in our Wild Desert Calendar. In this publication, you’ll enjoy dramatic eastern Oregon landscapes, captivating portraits of […]

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Michelle Alvarado   Website

Big Indian Gorge

The Big Indian Gorge Trail is 8 miles to the headwall of the gorge and passes through meadows as well as cottonwood and aspen groves. It’s easy to follow for […]

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Pike Creek

An old mining track leads 1.4 miles up the canyon through a rugged rock narrows with wildflowers and views of the desert playa below. Two creek crossings can be difficult […]

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Cregg Large

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness is a scenic remote escape that is ideal for those who love off-trail backcountry exploration. In this wilderness area, designated in spring of 2009, the recreation infrastructure […]

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Devlin Holloway

Black Canyon

Most of the hikes in the area ascend Sutton Mountain, but this Black Canyon hike offers a nice change of pace, although you can achieve the Sutton rim by hiking […]

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Lindsay Jones

Subscribe to Our E-News

Sign up for ONDA’s free e-newsletter to stay aware of public lands issues, hear about ONDA events and build your knowledge of Oregon’s high desert landscapes and wildlife.

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ONDA Archive

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. […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Guano Creek

Guano Creek is designated as a Wilderness Study Area and Area of Critical Environmental Concern. No trails exist but you can hike across the open country adjacent to Guano Creek. […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Fish Creek Rim

This hike is partially located in Fish Creek Rim Wilderness Study Area and offers great vistas, as well as neat stands of aspen and mountain mahogany. There is a healthy […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Beatys and Mahogany Buttes

There is no developed trail to the top, so the hike begins when you have found a decent spot to park your vehicle. Beatys Butte at 7,885 above sea level […]

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ONDA

Warner Peak

Take this hike to enjoy views not just from the summit, but all along the way. Keep your eyes open for wildlife as well. You can start from the Hot […]

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Frank Israel

Scout Camp Trail

The Scout Camp loop trail on the Middle Deschutes River is one of the most spectacular hikes you’ll find in Central Oregon. About a third of a mile from the […]

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Dan Holz   Website

Three Forks Hot Springs

This hike begins at the confluence of three spectacular tributaries of the Owyhee River—the North, Middle and Main forks—and the scenic hot springs at the end, situated beneath a waterfall, […]

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Steve Vidito

Leslie Gulch

Visit the Leslie Gulch Wilderness Study Area to hike through sandy washes to reach panoramic amphitheaters of stone and sage. Over 200 bighorn sheep live in Leslie Gulch, along with […]

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Mike Stahlberg

Flatiron Rock

The Flatiron Rock trail offers a wonderful introduction to the Badlands, winding through inflated lava and old-growth juniper woodlands for about 2.5 miles to one of the most prominent rock […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Enjoying Wilderness Areas

“Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.” – Chief Si’ahl

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

Visitor’s Guide
to the Owyhee Canyonlands

Visiting the Owyhee Canyonlands calls for preparation, awareness, and self-sufficiency. Top off your gas tank when leaving gateway communities like Nyssa or Jordan Valley and carry a spare gas can, […]

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Sean Bagshaw   Website

Visitor’s Guide
to Steens Mountain Region

Steens Mountain may look like a small range, but it is actually just one massive mountain. When you visit the largest fault-block mountain in North America, expect extremes. Snow falls […]

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Visitor’s Guide
to Greater Hart-Sheldon

This fascinating region offers the opportunity to see pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, greater sage-grouse and more. Visitors of all ages and abilities can find a recreational opportunity to pursue here. […]

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Gena Goodman-Campbell

ONDA’s Restoration Work

Over the last two decades, ONDA has engaged volunteers in projects to plant thousands of trees, restore dozens of miles of streams, decommission old roads and remove enough barbed wire […]

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David Hanson

Independent Stewards

Oregon Natural Desert Association’s independent stewardship projects offers volunteers a self-directed option for promoting a healthy high desert in addition to our structured option of guided stewardship trips.

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Devlin Holloway

Protecting Desert Fish and Wildlife

Oregon’s high desert is teeming with a diversity of fish and wildlife, including species that are found nowhere else on the planet. Living in high desert sagebrush steppe, with all […]

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Jeremy Austin

Advocating for Wildlands and Wildlife

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 […]

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Jim Davis   Website

The Wilderness Act of 1964

Thanks to the Wilderness Act of 1964, future generations of Americans can experience the same landscapes that we have the opportunity to explore and enjoy today. ONDA campaigns to see qualified desert […]

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Tyson Fisher   Website

Safety Tips

Following these suggestions will help you travel safely through the high desert of eastern Oregon and enjoy fragile places responsibly.   

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Tyler Roemer   Website

Visitor’s Guide
to the Central Oregon Backcountry

With rolling plains of sagebrush, dramatic river canyons and dense forests of old-growth juniper, the Central Oregon Backcountry provides visitors with a wide-ranging introduction to Oregon’s high desert. This wild […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Visitor’s Guide
to the John Day River Basin

See for yourself the rugged allure of the John Day River Basin, with its vast expanses of windswept high desert, endless mountains, and picturesque meandering rivers. Within a few hours […]

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Mobilizing Conservation Advocates

Oregon Natural Desert Association connects people to Oregon desert landscapes, issues and conservation opportunities, and we mobilize communities and develop strategic partnerships to expand and deepen our impact. Our community […]

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Jordan Craters

The 27-square-mile ovaline lava flow of Jordan Craters is one of the most recent volcanic flows in Oregon. The origin of the flow is Coffeepot Crater, a deep cavity at […]

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Mark Darnell

Sutton Mountain

At 4,700 feet tall, Sutton Mountain towers over the surrounding landscape. With a steep, craggy west side and a rolling, grassy eastern face, the mountain has an alluring Jekyll and […]

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Gary Miller

Contact Your Elected Leaders and Agency Officials

Make Your Voice Heard For Public Lands Each day Oregon’s elected leaders and the appointed officials who head land management agencies make decisions about how our lands are managed. They […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Malheur Wild and Scenic Rivers

Malheur Wild and Scenic Rivers Bull Trout Habitat (ONDA v. U.S. Forest Service) Bull trout populations are beginning to recover in protected corridors along the Malheur and North Fork Malheur […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Steens Wind

ONDA and our partners have worked tirelessly since 2008 to communicate that Steens Mountain is an inappropriate place for industrial-scale energy development.

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Jeremy Fox

About the ODT

Oregon Natural Desert Association developed the Oregon Desert Trail to showcase the most spectacular natural areas of the state’s dry side, including Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Steens Mountain, and […]

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Whychus-Deschutes

Within an hour’s drive from Bend and just west of Terrebonne, the rugged canyons of Whychus-Deschutes remain astonishingly wild.

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Trip Difficulty Ratings

ONDA’s stewardship work often takes us to rugged backcountry locations with no cell reception, and the safety of our volunteers is our number one priority. Stewardship trip difficultly ratings are […]

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Michelle Alvarado   Website

Protecting the Greater Sage-grouse

The greater sage-grouse, an iconic species native to Oregon’s high desert and the largest grouse in North America, faces serious threats to its survival due to habitat loss and degradation […]

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Tyler Roemer   Website

Horse Heaven and Cathedral Rock

Deep canyons, remnant old-growth pine forests, and rolling hills covered with juniper, sagebrush, and bunchgrass define the character of the remarkable public lands included in the Horse Heaven and Cathedral […]

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Jim Davis

Accomplishments

In 1987, a group of community members based in and around Bend, Oregon realized that the high desert lands and waters they loved had no one dedicated to their protection. […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Trail Resources

  The resources you’ll find here can be used in combination to help you navigate the Oregon Desert Trail route and to safely travel through the high desert. Conditions on […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Lower John Day

Drawn to the exhilarating rapids, remote canyons, and thriving fishery, more than 10,000 people float the 72-mile long Clarno to Cottonwood stretch of the Lower John Day River each year.

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Jeremy Fox

Desert Travel Tips

Hiking in the high desert presents unique rewards … and unique challenges! Travel safely and responsibly along the Oregon Desert Trail with these tips, principles and essentials.

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Devlin Holloway

Challenges and Risks

The Oregon Desert Trail is an extremely challenging route for hikers, both physically and logistically. ODT travelers need to be aware of the remoteness, lack of cell communication and environmental […]

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Greg Burke   Website

Financials

Our work to protect and restore Oregon’s high desert public lands is fueled by the generosity of our members. Every donation, advocacy action, and volunteer hour adds up to an […]

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Bruce Jackson   Website

Little Blitzen Gorge

The Little Blitzen Gorge Trail follows the Little Blitzen River up a long, glacially carved canyon. Expect wildflowers, springs, aspen, and waterfalls. From the trailhead parking lot, walk 100 yards […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Our Community

Oregon Natural Desert Association is a community of people dedicated to conserving the high desert. It might be the scent of sagebrush, or the desert sun’s warmth. It could be […]

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Privacy Policy

ONDA believes in your right to privacy. To protect your privacy rights, we have adopted these policies and practices: Donor privacy policy Oregon Natural Desert Association will not share or […]

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Careers

Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting, defending and restoring Oregon’s high desert.

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Steve Roelof   Website

Michelle Bauer

Renee Patrick

Renee joined ONDA in 2015 to help develop and promote the Oregon Desert Trail—a 750-mile route that showcases the wonders, and conservation opportunities, of Oregon’s high desert. In her current […]

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Jefferson Jacobs

Jefferson joined ONDA in 2008. As our Riparian Restoration Manager, he handles all of our riparian restoration activities. Originally from Maine, Jeff graduated from the University of Maine with a […]

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Gena Goodman-Campbell

As ONDA’s Stewardship Director, Gena engages ONDA’s community in hands-on restoration projects that improve desert habitat in key watersheds and migration corridors. Gena has been a member of the ONDA […]

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Mac Lacy

Mac became ONDA’s staff attorney in 2001, after serving as a student law clerk starting in 1999. Mac is a public interest environmental lawyer specializing in natural resource law and […]

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Michelle Bauer

Allison Crotty

Allison joined ONDA as development director in 2010. Over the course of a diverse, two-decades-long career working with nonprofits, Allison has worked in development for a Massachusetts university, organized international […]

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Renee Patrick

Community

Get Involved in Desert Conservation The Oregon Natural Desert Association’s mission is to protect, restore, and defend Oregon’s desert areas, and Oregon Desert Trail explorers are integral in these efforts.  […]

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Renee Patrick

Plan A Trip

Be advised! Stretches of the Oregon Desert Trail route are exceedingly remote. Read the Oregon Desert Trail guidebook descriptions in detail and seriously consider any notes on water scarcity or […]

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Mark Darnell   Website

Discover Oregon’s Desert

Did you know that nearly half of Oregon is high desert? At Oregon Natural Desert Association, we strive to connect people to this incredible region. Come explore eastern Oregon with […]

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Jamey Pyles   Website

Sage Sustainers: Promoting Desert Conservation

A Conversation with Scott Bowler Retired science teacher Scott Bowler is a proud member of ONDA’s Sage Sustainers, the community of advocates and donors who live their values by sustaining […]

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Robert Tilley

Volunteer

Each year, hundreds of Oregon Natural Desert Association volunteers address vital conservation needs in Oregon’s high desert. Volunteers may restore remote desert streams, mail letters, welcome people at ONDA events […]

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Jeremy Austin

Take Action

Speak up for Oregon’s high desert. Every American owns the public lands, waters and wildlife that make Oregon’s high desert special, and every one of us must be an advocate […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website

ONDA

Kristin Wolter

Contact Us

 For general inquiries, email onda@onda.org or call (541) 330-2638. See below for a staff directory. Staff Directory

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Tim Neville

Publications

ONDA provides interested community members with inspiration to get out and enjoy the desert, and the information and tools necessary to understand what is happening to their public lands.

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John Waller   Website

Our Team

As a staff, we are steadfast in our commitment to protect, defend, and restore Oregon’s high desert alongside our members and supporters. Together with the passion and commitment of a […]

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Restoring Lands and Waters

Oregon Natural Desert Association sustains and enhances the health of Oregon’s high desert through stewardship and restoration. ONDA takes a holistic approach to conservation in Oregon’s high desert, pairing on-the-ground […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Protecting Public Lands,
Waters, and Wildlife

Oregon Natural Desert Association conserves the most wild, spectacular and ecologically important public lands in Oregon’s high desert, including treasured landscapes such as the John Day River Basin, Steens Mountain, […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Lloyd Irwin

Steens Mountain Region

A secret revealed It’s alpine quality rivals Oregon’s better known Cascade peaks, and yet Steens Mountain is largely undiscovered. Once visited, however, Steens Mountain is not easily forgotten. Often mistaken […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Greg Burke   Website

Our Take on Sec. Zinke’s Secret Monuments Report

The public finally has access to the Trump administration’s report on the review of 27 national monuments, but only because it was leaked to the press. Astonishingly, Zinke’s memo to […]

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Sage Brown   Website

Giving Wild Animals Freedom to Roam

Volunteers remove obsolete fence from more than 90,000 acres in the Steens Mountain Wilderness The 97,229 acre cow-free portion of the Steens Mountain Wilderness Area in southeastern Oregon is now […]

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Zinke undercuts BLM sage grouse conservation plan

Secretary of the Interior Zinke undercuts BLM sage grouse conservation plan. The Department of the Interior recently issued a set of proposed changes for sage grouse conservation that will harm […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Wilderness Values: A View from Above

Oregon Natural Desert Association employee Jeremy Austin realizes a childhood dream, and takes to the sky across southeastern Oregon with LightHawk. Photos by Jim Davis with aerial support by LightHawk. […]

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REI Continues Support of the Oregon Desert Trail

The Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) has made a lot of progress in the past year thanks to the continued support of the hiking community, gateway community partners, ONDA members and […]

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Dan Holz   Website

Owyhee Beckoning

Julie Weikel grew up in ‘ION’ country, the area where Idaho, Oregon and Nevada’s borders meet. She worked for over four decades in the area as a large animal vet, […]

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Kirk Richardson: Alice Elshoff Award winner

For more than a decade, Kirk Richardson has been a strong voice for protecting Oregon’s high desert. He’s served on the Oregon Natural Desert Association Board of Directors, helped dream […]

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Jim Davis

Climate change in the sagebrush sea

Dr. Megan Creutzburg is a researcher at Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources, where she provides technical coordination for the Oregon Sage Grouse Conservation Partnership (SageCon). With climate marches happening […]

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Kirk Barnes

Exploring Eastern Oregon by Boat

  ONDA Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator Renee Patrick shares a “water alternate” option to the hiking route on the Chewaucan River. She likes to say, “rivers are trails too” and […]

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Jefferson Jacobs

Celebrating 30 years of high desert conservation

For three decades, ONDA has been a strong, consistent voice for Oregon’s high desert. It all began in 1987 with extraordinary people concerned about an extraordinary place, and today has […]

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Oregon breweries call for protection of Owyhee Canyonlands

Over two dozen Oregon craft beer brewers from around the state have joined together to call for the permanent protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Ross Putnam, cofounder of Base Camp […]

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Getting inspired, getting involved

Bend resident Sarah Graham has long cherished the outdoors. But this past year inspired her to become active to help protect public lands, aiming to ensure they continue to belong […]

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Bob Jessee

A Fall Hiking Perspective on the Oregon Desert Trail

  The Oregon Desert Trail’s first fall thru-hiker, Bob “Huck Finn” Jessee, completed the route in 2015. Read about his adventure and tips for getting out in the shoulder season. […]

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Elliott Dubreuil’s Desert Legacy

From the moment he arrived in Oregon, Elliott Dubreuil felt drawn to its dry side. The Louisiana native moved to Bend in 1993. He picked the small town to avoid […]

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Renee Patrick

An Oregon Desert Trail Adventure on the Owyhee River

  Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator Renee Patrick shares her exploratory packraft alternate on the Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) in the Owyhee Canyonlands. Getting to the West Little Owyhee River where […]

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Jim Davis   Website

Service at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Carol Savonen is a member of Great Old Broads for Wilderness, a group formed initially by older women to champion America’s public lands. Here, she shares the experience the Broads […]

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Renee Patrick

Vegetation Monitoring in Southeastern Oregon

ONDA summer intern Anne White has spent many hours over the past few months in southeastern Oregon monitoring sagebrush habitat. She and her fellow intern collected data to help determine […]

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Christof Teuscher

Christof Teuscher Runs for Discovery on the Oregon Desert Trail

  “What I enjoy most about the Oregon desert are the wide open spaces, it’s so fascinating. Since I grew up in Switzerland, I find it very exotic. I’ve always […]

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Devin Dahlgren   Website