Happy 4th of July!Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash.
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People Who CollaborateIt was a fuels management specialist position with the Bureau of Land Management that brought Joe Sullivan to Harney County. That was his starting place with Burns BLM and since May of 2023 he has been the Assistant Fire Management Officer managing the Burns District Fuels program. While this position brought Joe to southeast Oregon, he has family connections to Harney County. READ MORE.
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How Does a HDP Collaborative Form? (Part 6)It begins with the need to address a complex issue or seize an opportunity, a coordinator is identified, the search for funding is underway, relationships among the coordinator and partners develop, evolve and strengthen, a facilitator is contracted and meetings convene. As partners come together, the culture of the collaborative evolves, deepening through detailed discussions about the issues and opportunities at hand.
As collaboratives form there are multiple meetings and discussions about what the issues and opportunities really are, how they are perceived by each partner. Having these discussions helps all partners participate in determining the true causes of issues vs reacting to symptoms. Julia Galef may describe these people as scouts. "Scouts . . . are like intellectual explorers, slowly trying to map the terrain with others. Curiosity is the driving force." These discussions are also further developing the culture of the collaborative, the trust and understanding between partners building a reservoir of goodwill that lends to the ability to disagree, to keep talking and reach results oriented consensus decisions.
As these discussions are happening the structure of the collaborative is also defined. A Coordinating Committee is approved by the collaborative and works closely with the facilitator and HDP Collaborative Coordinator providing leadership, administration and support to the collaborative. Operating principles are developed to define the background, purpose, collaborative process, organizational structure and operating procedures that are necessary for the effective functioning of the collaborative toward achieving its goals. Once the collaborative has honed in on the issues it is addressing and the administrative structure is in place the partners further dig in and develop a strategic action plan that defines the vision, mission and objectives of the collaborative and functions as a guidepost for project choice and implementation.
*In August, we talk about the use of the consensus model for HDP collaborative decision making.
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Funding Award from The Roundhouse Foundation
This grant will support HDP's work in environmental stewardship, specifically:
- Implementing impactful solutions.
- Benefiting and strengthening Harney County's youth.
- Enhancing our community and environment.
We're honored to be one of 106 organizations throughout rural and Indigenous Oregon communities receiving support from Roundhouse Foundation's nearly $1.7 million in total grants.
This grant will help us continue our mission of collaborative conservation and community development in Harney County. Stay tuned for updates on the exciting projects this funding will support!
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Southeast Oregon Wildfire Resiliency Project: Progress and Recent DevelopmentsJust a few years ago, a stroll through the vast sagebrush rangelands in Southeastern Oregon would likely see a landscape dotted with western juniper trees. And that’s a problem. Junipers crowd out other species, monopolize water and tend to contribute to hotter, faster-spreading wildfires.
But thanks to the work from the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative those junipers are getting the chop, which makes for a more biodiverse, wildfire-resilient ecosystem. READ MORE.
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Meet HDP's Summer Crew
Harney County summers are a busy time for collaborative work which means a growing team at HDP as the annual summer crew is hired and gets to work. This year, the summer crew is the largest it's been with 12 doing traditional ecological monitoring work as well as helping to implement youth and community programs. They're a mix of local high school students and college students helping to move collaborative projects forward while gaining some amazing experiences through work with HDP's team and collaborative partners.
Here's a bit about each with pictures to follow in the order you see here.
- Kendal Nichols, Crane Union High School student supporting the Youth Changing the Community Collaborative.
- Keaira Burns, Burns High graduate and soon-to-be University of Idaho undergrad supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative helping with a reed canary study.
- Joe Weil, Burns High student and a member of the Habitat Restoration crew supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Jaeden Torres, Oregon State University undergrad and a member of the Habitat Restoration crew supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Camryn Volle, Burns High student supporting the Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative's Harney Food System initiative.
- Braeden O'Conner, Burns High student and a member of the Habitat Restoration crew supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Braedon Cornwall, Treasure Valley Community College student and a member of the Stream Habitat crew supporting the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Preston Hill, Burns High student and a member of the Habitat Restoration crew supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Preston Van Nise, George Fox University undergrad and a member of the Stream Habitat crew supporting the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Tadd Craft, graduate of University of California, Santa Cruz and a member of the Stream Habitat crew supporting the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative.
- Sarah Weber, University of Oregon undergrad and her 2nd summer with us. Sarah is supporting the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative with projects at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
- Kenna Owens, Montana State University undergrad supporting the Youth Changing the Community Collaborative managing the Art in the Park camps.
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Projects Examine Dynamics of Reed Canary Grass and Map Spread of Invasive SpeciesOver the last decade, reed canary grass has established a robust presence in the Harney Basin. While ag producers may disagree on whether this is good or bad, a pair of projects spearheaded by the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative (HBWC), a collaborative of the High Desert Partnership, will examine a variety of habitats where the grass is present and what practices might be employed to manage it. A third project involves mapping the basin to see where various kinds of vegetation, including reed canary grass, are growing and how pervasively they are spreading. READ MORE.Pictured: A test plot being installed in reed canary grass at the Eastern Oregon Research Center. Photo by Brandon McMullen.
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Headline TextThis year’s Frontier MedQuest, hosted by Northeast Area Health Education Center and High Desert Partnership, made it possible for 10 high school students to experience what rural healthcare looks like, while able to enjoy some Harney County specific activities. Students went to Crane Hot Springs, enjoyed a historic downtown tour, were able to speak to a number of non clinical professionals at Harney District Hospital, experience what it is like to stay in the Crane Dorms, and had a ranch dinner hosted by Denise and Jeff Rose. This camp is thanks to the hard work and collaboration with Harney District Hospital, who provided over 40 job shadows during the week, supplied a stethoscope to each student, a full day of education, a number of meals, and CPR/First Aid training and activities to students. This camp provides not only healthcare job shadows for students, but also can help them to gain confidence, skills, and the personal development needed as their healthcare journeys begin. Thank you to Burns Dental, Harney County Home Health/Hospice, Juniper Cookhouse, Lisa Roath, Crane Union High School, the Pine Room, Figaro's Pizza, as well as all others in the community for being involved in this great experience. See you in 2025 for next year's camp!
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2024 Upcoming Events
Tuesday, July 16 | Harney County Wildfire Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, July 17 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Tuesday, July 23 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
Tuesday, July 23 | Youth Changing the Community Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, August 21 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Tuesday, August 27 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, August 28 | Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative Meeting
Tuesday-Saturday, September 3-7 | Harney County Fair & Rodeo/Celebrating 100 Years
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