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 […]

Cregg Large

Protected: 2025 Pine Creek Conservation Area Cottonwood Cage Removal

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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 […]

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 […]

Clarno Willow Harvest

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

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Lloyd Irwin

¡Haga su donación hoy mismo!

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Bear Creek Fence Repair #2

Bear Creek Fence Repair #1

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 […]

Tyson Fisher

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Bruce Couch

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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. […]

Rick Samco Website

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 […]

Press

Jim Davis

North Springs Mesic Restoration

Celia Bell

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 […]

Jim Davis

North Springs Exclosure Fence Construction

Greg Burke Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #4

George Wuerthner

Steens Mountain Wilderness Trail Maintenance

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 […]

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 […]

Greg Burke

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 […]

Pine Creek Spring Restoration

Greg Burke Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #3

Greg Burke Website

Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #5

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 […]

Sheepshead Mountains WSA Group Route Inventory

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

Wilshire Park

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Phil Mitchell

BLM

Malheur Wild & Scenic River Monitoring

South Fork Fence Build

James Parsons Website

Protected: Warner Wetlands Bird Monitoring

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James Parsons Website

Alan Majchrowicz Website

Warner Wetlands Bird Monitoring

Beatys Butte Fenceline Retrofit Project #1

Logan Valley Fence Repair

Murderers Creek Riparian Monitoring

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 […]

Greg Burke Website

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 […]

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 […]

Renee Clough

Hollywood Theater

Ron Larson

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Jim Davis Website

Ruby Creek Riparian Planting

Michael O'Casey

Beech Creek Riparian Planting

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 […]

Protected: Quail Creek Road Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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 […]

Mt Tabor Picnic A

Phone2Action Test

Ben Goldfarb

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 […]

Renee Patrick

Oregon Desert Trail Impact Monitoring

Renee Patrick

Steens Mountain Wilderness Recreation Monitoring

ODT/Fremont Forest Recreation Monitoring

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.

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 […]

adel, or

McDermitt Creek Lithium Mine Site Visit

This trip is full and accepting volunteers for the waitlist.

Trout Creek Mountains

Bryan Andresen

Trout Creek Mountains Fenceline Group Monitoring Trip

This trip is full.

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 […]

McDermitt, NV

South Fork Riparian Planting

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Brothers Fence Trip #6

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

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 […]

Brothers Fence Trip #7

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

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

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: Burnt Car Road Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Jim Davis

Protected: Horseshoe Meadow Lek/Grazing Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Shannon Phifer Website

A Captivating Year

Jim Davis Website

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Sheila Dunn

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Tyson Fisher Website

Renee Patrick

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 […]

Vale Library

Condon Chamber of Commerce

Ontario Rec Center

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? […]

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 […]

Hillsboro REI

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 […]

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 […]

Clarno Harvest #1

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

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 […]

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 […]

REI Salem-Keizer

Broadway Commons

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 […]

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 […]

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.

The Lot

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 […]

Gena Goodman-Campbell

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 […]

Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

ONDA’s Bend Office

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 […]

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 […]

Wildcraft Cider Works

Horse Ridge

Chimney Rock

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, […]

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, […]

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 […]

Greg Burke

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 […]

Protected: Beatys Butte Fenceline Monitoring

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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 […]

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 […]

Sage Brown Website

Wildlands Monitoring Training

Steens Mountain Fence Flagging with BHA

Protected: Malheur Refuge Fence Mapping

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Sam Hartman

Pine Creek Conservation Area

Sam Hartman

John Day Fossil Beds

Aaron Tani

South Fork Crooked River

Shey Hyatt

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Mark Molner

Cottonwood Canyon State Park

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 […]

Steens Mountain

Ben Gordon

Burns Paiute Tribal Properties

Fremont National Forest

Denny Jones Ranch

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

REI Bend

Worthy Brewing

Hollinshead Barn

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Patagonia Portland

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 […]

Ontario Public Library

Tiger Town Brewing Company

Harney County Community Center

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Oregon Natural Desert Association

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

Sage Brown Website

Livestock Grazing

Sage Brown Website

Off-Road Vehicle and Travel Management

Alan Majchrowicz Website

Lands with
Wilderness Characteristics

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

Claim 52 Brewing

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Paisley Community Center

Base Camp Brewing Company

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 […]

Tall Town Bike & Camp

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 […]

Clarno Nursery

Clarno Harvest #2

Accepting volunteers for the waitlist

Clarno Harvest #3

Accepting volunteers for the waitlist

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 […]

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:

Mountain Shop

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 […]

First Congregational UCC

10 Barrel Brewing Company Eastside Banquet Room

Coalition Brewing Co.

Ninkasi’s Administration Building

Gabriel Amadeus Tiller Website

Enter to Win

This contest is now closed.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Helen Harbin on Wildlife

Devlin Hollloway

Wildflower Poetry Reading

Sage-grouse Mating Dance

Jeremy Fox on Steens Landscape

Devlin Holloway

Volunteer Accomplishment in Hart-Sheldon

Great Horned Owls and Western Screech Owls

Devlin Holloway

Discover Desert Pronghorn

Devlin Holloway

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 […]

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.”

The Last Darkness

Tibetan Monks Visit Sutton Mountain

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. […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Michelle Alvarado Website

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

Mazamas

KEEN Garage

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 […]

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 […]

Careers

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

Steve Roelof Website

John Day River Basin

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Muleshoe Creek, Grant County

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 […]

Jeremy Austin

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 […]

Devin Dahlgren Website

Join, Renew, or Give a Gift

ONDA

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 […]

About Us

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 […]

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, […]

Our Approach

Jim Davis Website

Owyhee Canyonlands

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 […]

Jim Davis Website

Greater Hart-Sheldon

Greg Burke Website

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 […]

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 […]

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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