Stewardship Trips

Feel like getting your hands dirty to keep the high desert healthy and thriving? You’ve come to the right place!
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s stewardship trips provide an incredible opportunity to help the wild lands and wildlife you love. Volunteer today!

watch

The Land Between: The Greater Hart-Sheldon Region

The Land Between: The Greater Hart-Sheldon Region

voices

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

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

listen

Great Basin Spadefoot Toads – a sleepy chorus

Great Basin Spadefoot Toads – a sleepy chorus

2020 Trip Schedule

The trips below all have availability. Click on trip names below to learn more about that trip and to register.

UPDATE: As much as we want to be out in Oregon’s high desert working to improve vital fish and wildlife habitat, now is not the time to do so. We are following Governor Brown’s guidelines and looking forward to resuming stewardship trips as soon as practicable. While we are still accepting registrations, know that trips may — or may not — proceed. Registered participants can expect to hear from your trip leader with a final decision about whether each trip will run two weeks before the start date of that trip.

In the meantime, here is our commitment to you: we will continue to evolve our plans so that we are ready to hit the ground running with blow-your-mind-amazing trips if you promise to do your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Dates

Trip Name

Region

Leader

Difficulty
March 30 – April 2 Denny Jones Ranch Restoration #1 Malheur River Basin Ben Gordon 3
April 9-12 Cottonwood Canyon Riparian Restoration John Day River Basin Beth Macinko 3
May 5-8 West Summit Creek Planting Malheur River Basin Beth Macinko 3
May 11-14 Denny Jones Ranch Restoration #2 Malheur River Basin Ben Gordon 3
June 16 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #4 Oregon Badlands Wilderness Beth Macinko 3
September 3-6 South Fork WSA Fence Build #2 South Fork Crooked River Watershed Beth Macinko 5
September 8 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #5 Oregon Badlands Wilderness Beth Macinko 3
October 13 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #6 Oregon Badlands Wilderness Beth Macinko 3
October 19-22 Denny Jones Ranch Restoration #3 Malheur River Basin Beth Macinko 3
November 17 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #7 Oregon Badlands Wilderness Beth Macinko 3
December 8 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #8 Oregon Badlands Wilderness Beth Macinko 3
The following trips are all full, with long waitlists. Click on the trip names to learn more about the projects you may be interested in joining in the future.

Dates

Trip Name

Region

Leader

Difficulty
February 16 Clarno Willow Harvest #1 John Day Basin Beth Macinko 1
February 29 Clarno Willow Harvest #2 John Day Basin Beth Macinko 1
March 5 Clarno Willow Harvest #3 John Day Basin Jefferson Jacobs 1
March 10 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #1 Central Oregon Beth Macinko 3
April 2-5 Hart Mountain Lek Monitoring Hart-Sheldon Jeremy Austin 3
April 9-12 Cottonwood Canyon Riparian Restoration John Day Basin Beth Macinko 2
April 14 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #2 Central Oregon Beth Macinko 3
April 17-19 Annual General Meeting John Day Basin Jefferson Jacobs 2
April 22-23 Deschutes River Ranch Riparian Restoration Central Oregon Jefferson Jacobs 1
April 30 – May 3 South Fork Crooked Riparian Planting South Fork Crooked River Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 2
May 12 Badlands Wilderness Stewardship #3 Central Oregon Beth Macinko 3
May 18-21 Owyhee Canyonlands Fence Removal Owyhee Canyonlands Beth Macinko 3
May 29-31 Sutton Mountain Campout John Day Watershed Renee Patrick 1
June 8-11 South Fork WSA Fence Build #1  South Fork Crooked River Watershed Beth Macinko 5
June 25-28 Fremont National Recreation Trail Work along Oregon Desert Trail Hart Sheldon Renee Patrick 3 3
July 16-19 Hay Creek BDA Construction #1 John Day Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 4
July 21-26 Steens Mountain Wilderness Trail Work along Big Indian Gorge Steens Mountain Renee Patrick 5
August 6-9 Hay Creek BDA Construction #2 John Day Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 4
August 27-30 Hay Creek BDA Construction #3 John Day Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 4
August 31 – September 3 Logan Valley Restoration for Keen Employees Malheur River Basin Ben Gordon 2
September 3-6 South Fork WSA Fence Build #2 South Fork Crooked River Watershed Beth Macinko 5
September 17-20 South Fork WSA Fence Build #3 South Fork Crooked River Watershed Beth Macinko 5
September 24-27 Hay Creek Riparian Planting #1 John Day Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 3
October 5-8 John Day Fossil Beds Fence Retrofit John Day Watershed Beth Macinko 4
October 8-11 Hay Creek Riparian Planting #2 John Day Watershed Jefferson Jacobs 3
November 9-12 Malheur Refuge Fence Pull Malheur Lake Basin Beth Macinko 3

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? While it is free to volunteer, ONDA collects a refundable $25 deposit to ensure those who register actually participate on our projects. After each...

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Sage Brown   Website

Independent Stewards

Oregon Natural Desert Association’s Independent Stewards program offers volunteers a self-directed option for promoting a healthy high desert in addition to our structured option of guided stewardship trips. ONDA provides participants with resources and specific assignments; they learn new skills and complete critical tasks while giving their high desert adventures an elevated purpose.

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Trip Difficulty Ratings

Oregon Natural Desert Association created these trip difficulty ratings at the request of past and prospective trip participants to help them compare our trip options, and judge which trip is right for them at the time.

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Volunteer T-Shirts for Sale

Show your commitment to the high desert with one of our new volunteer t-shirts. With four fun designs and five colors from which to choose, you are sure to find one you'll love. A portion of each sale benefits our stewardship program.

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Scenes from 2019 Stewardship Trips

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

Up in the predawn light to monitor a sage-grouse lek

Darin Swanson

Lunch breaks with expansive views

Mark Darnell

Clearing trails to keep hikers safe

Michele Patrick

Goofing around in the mid-day summer sun

Lisa Foster

Learning new skills and working together

Elizabeth McLagen

Join, Renew, or Give a Gift

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Sage Society Membership

Live your values and stand up for Oregon’s desert public lands, waterways, and wildlife when you donate to Oregon Natural Desert Association each month. Sage Society members propel critical conservation efforts alongside a dynamic community of advocates. And, as a monthly donor, your membership won’t expire. If you want to increase your existing monthly donation, […]

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