Notes from the Field

There’s something sacred about leaving a warm sleeping bag before dawn to sit quietly in the high desert and witness one of nature’s oldest courtship rituals. For years I’ve wanted to get out there and see this spectacle for myself, and hopefully do some good for the Owyhee I love in the process.

Utah Senator Mike Lee recently removed controversial language from the federal budget that would have allowed for the sale of vast public lands. While some saw this as a victory, his reasoning revealed a concerning perspective: "I continue to believe that the federal government owns too much land, land it is mismanaging and, in many cases, ruining for the next generation." This statement reflects a worldview that fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and potential of publi

If you’ve spent any time on public land in eastern Oregon, especially in the Owyhee, you’ve likely felt the slow unraveling of care and capacity. It’s not because the people at the Bureau of Land Management don’t care. It’s because they’re being asked to manage more with less.

Hidden in Oregon’s remote and rugged Owyhee Canyonlands, the Painted Canyon area offers a jaw-dropping hiking experience for those...

A journey down the Owyhee River, that was truly unforgettable.

The Owyhee Recreation Club: Balancing Adventure and Stewardship- Recreation in the Owyhee is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a major draw to this vast and rugged landscape, bringing people closer to nature and public lands. On the other, increased recreation can threaten the very ecosystem that makes the Owyhee so special. For those unfamiliar with the area, recreation is not just present—it’s one of the most significant pressures on the landscape’s ecological health.

It is odd that a gravel road should evoke such an emotional response in me, but there I was, nearly in tears as I approached a place in...

I grew up in the metropolis of Adrian, Oregon—if you can call it that. I spent my entire childhood in the same house, gazing out my...

Recently a group of Friends of the Owyhee ventured to Birch Creek Historic Ranch for a sun-drenched, quiet celebration of Public Lands...

Author: Denis Pijetlovic (Germany) | Trail-Name: Rooster On my thru-hike (May-July 2024) along the Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) in the...

Stewardship on our public lands.

In an age where we are all constantly going from task to task oftentimes with our eyes suctioned upon a screen for hours on end, it can...

Out on the Western front, when you grow up in the vastness of open spaces, rolling hills, and abundance of access to public lands; it is...

Supporting community, supporting health, and supporting responsible recreation! [Most of the] Friends of the Owyhee "team" for the Owyhee...

“Can you put together some outdoor activities for us? Things that are fun but also educational about the outdoors, about nature? About...

I’m not sure which month is the hottest here in eastern Oregon, July or August. In any case, the stifling heat of the summer months makes...

All photos below are by Steve Silva. All this year, I've enjoyed a great and regular routine of wandering around our local desert,...

Wow! What started out as a dry and nervous spring has turned into one wild and wooly early season to be remembered. I had given up on any...

Maybe it's just me, but when a colleague that has been working in the industry longer than I have tells me a piece of information, I...

A couple of weeks ago, we had our donor recognition celebration at our favorite Ontario hangout, Berts Growler Garage. While we had some...

As another month rolls in, I couldn’t help but think that January just wasn't going to end. Between the cold temperatures, the sun...

The new year is upon us, and for me, that's an exciting mark on my calendar. While many think that winter is still in charge, I challenge...

Winter. What does the word mean to you? Do you see mountains of white or feel the bone-numbing cold of the Arctic? We have four distinct...

We were on the road before sunrise. “Just left Ontario,” Tim texted. “Grabbing the coffee,” I replied. Sunrise cast pink-orange light on...

Jack Peak—standing at just over 10,000 feet and seen here at the head of a glacial valley—is made of approximately 400 million-year-old...

This guest post comes from Chris Chalmers, a web developer and proud dad. All photos are his. This April, I took my family to Leslie...

The United States Air Force (“Air Force”) has proposed to lower the flight ceiling as well as the subsonic and supersonic barriers over...

I’m learning that, in this industry, sometimes the work is well-timed and easily planned out. Other times, it’s a mad rush to the...

Summer is just around the corner, and we’re all spending much more time outdoors, whether it’s with FOTO or not (although, you know, it...

When I first started at Friends of the Owyhee, one of the first conversations I had with Tim was about this very subject. He clarified...

A couple of years ago, I got a smartwatch for Christmas from my dad. When I was looking at the display options, I had a fleeting thought...

Even if you haven’t been to the Owyhee yourself and have just heard about it, you’ve likely heard of the Lower Owyhee Canyon. Its name...

If you’ve been outdoors in eastern Oregon, western Idaho, or northern Nevada, you are guaranteed to have seen sagebrush. Sagebrush is the...

Patulaykaspa or "stands beside place" is the Sahaptin language word for Malheur Butte, which is just west of Ontario, Oregon (home base...

Does unsightly garbage along the road, in parking lots, or—the worst!—stuck in a sagebrush a hundred miles from town make you cringe? Us...

Friends of the Owyhee joined forces with the Kiwanis Club of Ontario to pick up litter around town. I have been a member of the Kiwanis...

"I've never seen a rainbow so clear!" exclaimed Aiden, Ontario 6th grader that took part in our recent Owyhee Science Field Camp. Quinn,...

My first month of work with FOTO has been incredibly inspiring. Let me tell you why.

...and just in time, too. As Tim discussed in this local news article, public lands in the Owyhee saw a great deal of use at the...

Not exactly, but long story short: yes! Sounds a bit mythological, right? Beavers in the Owyhee? The Owyhee beaver is indeed present and...

Plants! Trees! Birds! Rocks! Amphibians! Reptiles! Mammals! Stars! Clouds! Mushrooms! Insects! During our guided day hikes, we are often...

Puhpowee: Potawatomi word describing the phenomenon of a mushroom emerging from the ground overnight. (Source: Braiding Sweetgrass by...

Canyon Time. That’s what I call it. That feeling that you get while camping, on a trail, or just chilling under the cliffs—the feeling...

This content originates from the BLM Oregon and Washington Facebook site and has been reproduced with permission. As far as Oregon...

After a long dirt road—as per usual in the Owyhee—we arrived at an impressive rim that overlooked a sight of such grandeur, my mind...