Owyhee Challenge!
Supporting community, supporting health, and supporting responsible recreation! [Most of the] Friends of the Owyhee "team" for the Owyhee...
Interested in getting out into the Owyhee with us, or wondering what we have on the docket lately? Chances are we have a great event that’s just right for you. Find more information about our upcoming outdoor events below.
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The Owyhee Webinar series is designed to share the natural wonders of the Owyhee with folks far and wide. The Adopt-a-Lek program trains citizen volunteers to conduct lek monitoring surveys in remote areas of southeastern Oregon. In this webinar, we'll learn about the program from Skyler Vold of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.
For our first trip of the year, we’re headed to Three Forks for sage-grouse monitoring. Sage-grouse are common birds throughout the sagebrush steppe, but they are at risk primarily due to habitat loss. On this trip, we’ll be conducting some citizen science and monitoring sage-grouse leks, the areas that male sage-grouse use in mating rituals. At camp, we’ll briefly review how to monitor leks, but we strongly encourage you to attend our Sage-Grouse Lek Monitoring 101 webinar (to be announced).
Celebrate Earth Week on this week-long traveling stewardship trip! Each day, we’ll be hosting a different stewardship project in the Owyhee. We’ll meet at the site for the day by 10 AM and have a short introduction to the project, complete with background and safety tips. After working away on our project for the day, we’ll meet back up at 3 PM for a natural history talk from a guest. Then, at 4 PM, folks are free to enjoy camp and explore as they like.
Mid-May is the best time for our annual voyage to the forgotten corner of Oregon. Our time will be spent exploring the area and sharing knowledge with each other on topics like botany, geology, wildlife, and cultural history. This trip is perfect to enjoy the solitude that the Owyhee has to offer and really connect with the land.
Owyhee Science Field Camp aims to teach science data collection techniques in the field and encourage students to develop a connection to land. We’ll start our days with a short physical education routine, then head off to collect some data in the field. Our afternoons are reserved for time to play in the lake or river, and we’ll head back to camp around 5 PM. We’ll each have individual camp dinners and take some time to relax and play. At 8 PM, we’ll reconvene for a short class to review the day, take a look at the stars, and have an astronomy lesson.
Spending time in the great outdoors is an incredible experience at any age, especially when you have the chance to share it with loved ones. Owyhee Family Camp is designed for parents or guardians (including grandparents!) to enjoy the Owyhee with their favorite young campers. We will offer fun, family-friendly activities, like campfire storytelling, scavenger hunts, and more!