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.

2020 was a record year for public lands recreation in Oregon, and this year is projected to see similar high use in National Forests, parks, and Wilderness areas. Meanwhile, popular trails are crumbling, there aren't enough campgrounds or restrooms to accommodate demand, and public lands agencies don't have the funding they need. Watch this presentation to learn how these issues are being addressed for quality recreation. 

The wild landscapes of Utah are breathtaking, but offer much more than what meets the eye. Three adventurers from Oregonians for Wild Utah (OFWU) provided a virtual tour and explored how to advocate for public lands.

C’waam and Koptu are sucker fish sacred to the Indigenous peoples of Southern Oregon. This video includes guests from the Klamath Tribes who discuss the importance of these fish, and how drought, water quality, and climate change are bringing them to the brink of extinction.

Joan Maloof has likely been to more old-growth forests across the US than anyone alive today. She was so inspired by what she saw in these forests that she founded a national organization to preserve them and help make them accessible for the next generation. From the towering Redwoods of the Oregon and California Coast to the Cypress groves of Florida and the oak forests of New England, Joan will take you on a journey through the incredible differences and striking similarities of the country's remaining ancient forests.