People Who Collaborate"Any time we can make a positive change in a student's life is a big one for me." Erin Toelle is the Principal for Burns High School while also the Athletic Director for Burns High and Hines Middle School. Her education career began in the classroom in her hometown of Prineville, OR. In 2015 she moved with her husband to his home town in Harney County and initially took a 5th grade teaching position at Slater Elementary. "Harney County was not what I was expecting, but my husband grew up here and assured me I would come to love it, and I certainly do now. The small town life and community is hard to beat."
READ MORE.
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How Does a HDP Collaborative Form?First it's the need to to address a complex issue or seize an opportunity, then a coordinator is identified and the search for funding begins. And, all along as the collaborative takes shape, relationships develop, evolve and strengthen. At the core of HDP collaboration lies the art of nurturing relationships. It's about meeting people where they are and giving without expectations.
When a variety of viewpoints come together as a HDP collaborative and participants have invested in cultivating connections with one another, numerous positive outcomes emerge from these relationships. Trust flourishes among partners fostering conversation that solidifies agreements and keeps everyone talking through disagreements. Problems come and go, while relationships and the ability to build them carry on with collaboration moving at the speed of trust.
In 2021, Oregon Senate Bill 762 passed, allocating $220 million to help Oregon modernize and improve wildfire preparedness. Because of the groundwork laid by and the relationships within the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative, the Collaborative was able to quickly develop a plan and prepare an application which ultimately lead to an award of more than $5 million in 2022 and $3.8 million more in 2024 to address wildfire issues in the Harney and Malheur Counties through the Southeast Oregon Wildfire Resilience Project.
*In May, it's about the critical role of facilitation toward achieving consensus decisions, helping all voices be heard and making projects happen.
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Welcome Aaron JohnstonWe're excited to share the news that Aaron has joined HDP as the Forest & Range Collaborative Coordinator and is supporting both the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative and the Harney County Forest Restoration Collaborative.
Aaron is currently working with us part-time as he finishes up his masters degree and come mid May, will be with us full-time. About Aaron.
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Advancing Biomass as a Communities LEAPGreat news! High Desert Partnership, High Desert Biomass Cooperative and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have finalized their plan for Harney County's participation in Communities Local Energy Action Program (LEAP) cohort 2.
Harney County's participation in this program will help successfully address clean energy and economic goals through further development of the High Desert Biomass Project. Specifically, this project will enable the Biomass Project to improve its existing system, expand its capacity and develop a skilled workforce to support the project by creating job opportunities in logging, biomass processing and safety training.
More to come as next steps of this partnership are determined and planned.
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Harney County Migratory Bird FestivalSpend an amazing weekend witnessing the spectacular spring migration in the Harney Basin of Southeast Oregon. View thousands of migratory birds as they rest and feed in the wide-open spaces of Oregon's high desert. The festival offers non-stop birding activities as well as historical and cultural information.
Register for tours and events HERE.
Photo by Brandon McMullen
*The Harney Basin, a critical migratory bird rest stop along the Pacific Flyway, is a landscape where private ranch lands and wildlife habitat coexist. Check out this short film and web page from The Oregon Lottery, who funds the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, a long-standing supporter of the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative.
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Legislative Funded Projects Set to Improve Habitat and Surface Water Management in the Harney BasinLast year, the Oregon legislature designated $2.5 million to the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative (HBWC), a collaborative of the High Desert Partnership, to fund projects for wetlands restoration. All of the projects have the goal of benefiting migratory and resident bird populations as well as assisting landowners with water management. READ.
Photo by Brandon McMullen
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Career Fair VibesThe second annual Career Fair was held in Burns on March 14 and provided more than 100 high school students from Burns High School and Silvies River Charter School an opportunity to talk with professionals in a variety of industries. 32 agencies, businesses and colleges participated including US Forest Service, BLM, US Fish and Wildlife, Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon State Police Game Officers, Harney District Hospital, Ed Staub and Sons, Grayback Forestry, The Ford Family Foundation and more. In addition, representatives from Treasure Valley Community College and Eastern Oregon University natural resources and medical programs were on hand to share information about the education required to work in some fields.
And, there were prizes! Students were given the opportunity to complete event evaluations and from the 50 completed two lucky students, T'wanho-Kule Beers and Wyatt Sewell won a laptop and AirPods from a random drawing.
Photos by Brandon McMullen.
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Rangeland Fire Protection Summit This Week
At the Elks Lodge in Burns, Wednesday April 3 - Thursday April 4 the 14th annual Rangeland Fire Summit is taking place. This year, Brenda Smith, HDP's Director is part of panel scheduled for Thursday the 4th talking about 'Agency Support'. Moderated by Katie Wollstein. Brenda's contribution to this panel will be about funding for nonprofits, coordinating multiple agencies seeking funding and how this all happens within the collaborative process.
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Funding Rural Podcast
There's a new podcast in town, Funding Rural, from the Roundhouse Foundation and its founder, Erin Borla. Five episodes have aired so far with more coming including the May 28 episode with Brenda Smith, HDP's Director. The goal for this podcast: " . . . a podcast about how philanthropy can better serve rural communities and spark systemic change."
Find much more here including all past episodes.
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Land Water Sky Soul | Harney County
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2024 Upcoming Events
Wednesday & Thursday, April 3-4| Rangeland Fire Protection Association Summit
Wednesday, April 10| Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, April 17| High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Tuesday, April 23 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, May 22 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Tuesday, May 28 | Youth Changing the Community Collaborative Meeting
Tuesday, May 28 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
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