Engaging Volunteers in
Restoration Work

Sage Brown   Website

To improve habitat resiliency and ecosystem health, ONDA hosts volunteer group stewardship trips in beautiful and iconic locations throughout central and eastern Oregon’s high desert. We encourage people of all abilities and backgrounds to participate.

Volunteer with ONDA

New trips are announced twice per year, with opportunities available throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons.

Group Stewardship Trips

We lead guided, small group, multi- and single-day stewardship trips in some of Oregon’s most compelling desert landscapes. Led by experienced staff, ONDA’s group trips are a great way to get to know Oregon’s high desert, learn about conservation issues, and contribute to habitat restoration.

Trips are offered at no cost, but we do require a refundable fee to hold your space. No experience is needed to volunteer, and ONDA provides all of the tools and training that volunteers need to complete the restoration work, stay safe and have fun. Participation in group stewardship trips involves varying levels of physical difficulty, and trip work sites are often in remote locations.

2026 Trips: Summer and Fall

We rate the difficulty of each trip on a scale of 1 to 5 to help volunteers select a trip that is the right fit. Each level is described on our trip difficulty ratings page. Find more information on physical requirements on each trip page, and be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions. Please contact Gena Goodman-Campbell (541-330-2638, ext. 306; gena@onda.org), ONDA’s stewardship director, if you need special accommodations or have any questions about participating in a stewardship trip.

To apply to volunteer, follow the link to the trip page by clicking on a project title below. After reviewing the details, click Apply Now at the bottom of the page. This will direct you to the application form.

Dates Difficulty Project Title Trip Leader Registration
Aug. 13-16 3 Hart Mtn. Beaver Dam Analogue Install #1 Jefferson WAITLIST
Aug. 27-30 3 Hart Mtn. Beaver Dam Analogue Install #2 Nick WAITLIST
Sept. 17-20 4 Beatys Butte Spring Restoration #1 Jefferson Open Now
Sept. 25-27 3 Pine Creek Spring Restoration #3 Gena WAITLIST
Oct. 1-4 4 Beatys Butte Spring Restoration #2 Nick Open Now
Oct. 16-19 4 Robinson Creek Instream Restoration Jefferson WAITLIST
Oct. 23 2 Deschutes Canyon Habitat Restoration #1 Gena WAITLIST
Nov. 6 2 Deschutes Canyon Habitat Restoration #2 Gena WAITLIST

voices

Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

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, “Each is a gem to explore, and I hope they all get protection someday… I love the scale of the physical beauty of the desert.”

voices

Aaron Tani, Sage Society Member

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 for the future, and I feel like I’m a part of that every month with my support.”

fact

Bobcat

Bobcat

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

Latin name: Lynx rufus fasciatus

 

Current Projects

Located in the Lower John Day River Basin, the 34,331-acre Pine Creek Conservation Area is owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and managed for the benefit of fish and wildlife, as well as traditional cultural uses. A tributary of the Lower John Day River, Pine Creek, the area’s namesake, is a defining feature of the conservation area. This creek is designated as critical habitat for steelhead, and the surrounding rugged uplands are home to a diversity of birds, animals and native plants.

Learn more about our history of collaboration, and dive into our current projects in this area.

Learn More

Rising from springs amidst central Oregon’s sagebrush sea, the South Fork Crooked River winds through the canyons of the South Fork Wilderness Study Area before joining up with other tributaries to form the main stem of the mighty Crooked River. Historically, these headwaters were home to migratory fish and thousands of beavers that supported a flourishing ecosystem. But heavy agricultural use and the eradication of essential beavers, a keystone species on the landscape, has since reduced habitat quality and left the watershed out of balance.

Learn more about our investment in restoring this area, and dive into our current projects here.

Learn More

Scenes from Past Trips

Volunteering on an ONDA stewardship trip offers you a whole new perspective on the wonders of Oregon’s high desert.

Working to restore springs at Pine Creek Conservation Area

Lunch breaks with expansive views

Seeing the immediate impact of work constructing beaver dam analogues

Learning new skills and working together

Removing obsolete fence to improve wildlife migration corridors and support healthy wildlife populations.

Show Your Love for the High Desert

Order ONDA Volunteer Merch

Looking to showcase your love for Oregon’s high desert by sporting some ONDA gear? Check out the t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats available on our online store.

Online Store

More on Restoring Lands and Waters

Restoring Desert Ecosystems

ONDA works with partners, communities and the public to improve habitat quality, create healthy ecosystems, sustain clean water and support biodiversity in the high desert’s most ecologically important areas. What […]

Read More

Partnering with Tribal Communities

Indigenous people have lived in the high desert since time immemorial and practice a wide array of land stewardship techniques. ONDA partners with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities to restore […]

Read More