From wide beaches and lush forests to windswept bluffs and dramatic sea stacks, the stunning wild coast of Oregon is emerging as the next great long-distance hiking experience. This world-class hiking trail right in Oregon's backyard is an increasingly popular destination, and now it finally has a dedicated guidebook!

Wolves once had a range that covered a vast majority of North America. A concentrated killing campaign drove wolves to the brink, and it is only through hard-fought conservation efforts that these native animals have started to re-establish across their range. Wolves are still slowly returning to the places their ancestors once howled and roamed. Unfortunately, short-sighted politicians have resumed the last century's war-on-wolves, threatening to undo decades of recovery. This webcast provided a thorough overview of the status of wolf protections.

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Bats serve as nature’s fluffy pollinators, pest control agents, and key indicators of cave health. In Oregon alone, there are 15 bat species with the most elusive being the spotted bat. However, important surveys conducted in 2015 in Central Oregon hinted that the species may be more common than initially thought. Learn more about the spotted bat and how community science might be the key to solving this mystery.

Without a doubt, salmon is one of the most iconic species of the Pacific Northwest. Its significance is far-reaching, and for thousands of years, has been at the center of cultural rituals and economic activities. Salmon are also an indicator species, in that they serve as a key measure of ecosystem health and vitality. 

Jeremy FiveCrows of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission spoke about the various salmon species in the state and discussed the cultural and ecological importance of restoring them and their fragile habitat.

Experts Dr. Erica Fleishman, Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, and Lynn Tompkins, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Wildlife, discussed the recent heatwaves, how they impacted forests and wildlife, and what we can do to combat climate change, restore fragile ecosystems, and support wildlife care centers and their incredible work to protect injured animals.

There's no question about it: Indigenous peoples have the longest memory of, and most profound connections to the life cycles of native plants and animals. Wenix Red Elk, the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), spoke about the specifics and preparation of First Foods like salmon, deer, elk, camas bulbs, biscuitroot and huckleberry.  

Jessica Kieras is an avid swimmer, and delights in open-water swimming, ultra-distance swims, and even cold water swims! She's chronicled many of her adventures in her blog, Oregon Lake Bagging, and joined us to recount her recent 13-mile swim at Waldo Lake. She offered a variety of wisdom for more terrestrially-inclined people, including tips on how to get started.

Don't judge a book by its cover - lampreys may simultaneously be Oregon's most misunderstood and most important fish species! If you look beyond their boneless bodies and slightly terrifying disc mouth, you'll find there's a lot to respect. These fish (yes, they are fish!) are some of the Columbia River Basin's most ancient inhabitants, with origins dating back several hundred million years. That means they pre-date dinosaurs! This webinar features lampreys, their habitat and the historical relationship between the Nez Perce and the species.

Kirk Blaine, an avid fly angler and the Southern Oregon Regional Coordinator for the Native Fish Society, discussed some of his favorite Wild & Scenic fishing spots and the role protected rivers play in maintaining healthy native fish populations.

Paddleboards, it turns out, aren't just for flatwater! For adventurous river-lovers, paddleboarding is another way to explore all the wonderful things our public waterways have to offer. Writer and athlete ambassador Krystal Marie Collins gives us the rundown on how to train and pack for ultra paddleboard missions and shares a few stories of her own. Collins has paddleboarded some of America's greatest Wild & Scenic Rivers, including a solo 70-mile section of the John Day River and 21 days in the Grand Canyon.