WHERE WE WORK
Oregon's High Desert
Oregon Desert Land Trust is uniquely focused on conserving the high desert, a region covering a quarter of the state and spanning more than ten million acres. Oregon’s high desert is characterized by the mountains, rivers, canyons, escarpments and playas of the Great Basin. This region contains critical habitat for wildlife, offers abundant recreational opportunities, and holds a rich cultural history for Tribes and ranchers.
These are the traditional homelands of the Numu People (who you may know better as the Northern Paiute) who have hunted, gathered, and fished here since time immemorial. These lands continue to be important to them, we recognize their deep connections to these places, and we aspire to work with them as partners.
Since 2017, we have conserved more than 20,000 acres of wild and working lands in ten properties. They are located in six distinct areas: Brothers, Summer Lake, Hart Mountain/Sheldon, South Fork Crooked River, Pueblo and Trout Creek Mountains, and Owyhee Canyonlands.
RECENT ACQUISITIONS
Thanks to partnerships and ongoing conservation efforts, Oregon Desert
Land Trust has recently acquired these parcels. These lands are now
protected from development for the benefit of people and wildlife.
Moore-Rumsey Place
A canyon-rich parcel lies immediately upstream of the confluence of the West Little and mainstem Owyhee River.
Trout Creek Ranch Headquarters
This working ranch and associated wet meadows make up the base area of the 16,645 acre property that lies between the Pueblo and Trout Creek Mountains.
Pueblo Mountains
This region has the second highest summit in southeastern Oregon and provides climate resilient connectivity between more than 1 million acres of wildlife habitat in the Great Basin.