Celebrating 15 Years!

February 14, 2022 High Desert Partnership turns 15. In the early days of HDP we wanted something different for Harney County and could not have imagined how far this idea of collaboration come come. One thing we do know is that we will continue to do everything possible to help people work together. It's a privilege to support and witness the multiple collaborative efforts that are thriving in Harney County. We're looking forward to many, many years to come of Working Together for Harney County. HOW IT ALL BEGAN.

Photos by Jeremy Hill.

People Who Collaborate

Meet Autumn Muir who many of you may have known as Autumn Larkins. Autumn has been engaged with the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative for many years and despite a career shift and a move to Lake County she has stayed engaged. "Harney County will always hold a special place in my heart. After so many years of working, living and recreating in that community I couldn’t just walk away. I want to see the years of effort and hard work that the HCWC has invested continue to produce viable projects and great working relationships with all those involved. That is why I was so excited when I was asked to come back and facilitate the Stinkingwaters Subcommittee. There have been so many fabulous new partners that have breathed new life into the HCWC but there is also strength in the institutional knowledge that may not get captured within the meeting notes. My goal by staying involved with the HCWC and more specifically the Stinkingwaters Subcommittee is to keep the forward momentum while helping to preserve our original mission. High Desert Partnership and the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative are both groups that I am super proud to be a part of." READ MORE.

Seeing the Forest Through The Trees

Like many forests, the south end of the Malheur National Forest has issues. It has high tree densities and with climate change, the forest is more prone to fire, drought, disease and insect infestations. In addition, losses within the timber industry, mill closures and a lack of activity in the forest have had a negative impact on the Harney County community. Thankfully however, the south end of the Malheur National Forest also has a group of diverse stakeholders looking out for its varied interests.

The group is called the Harney County Forest Restoration Collaborative (HCFRC), and it’s a working group of the High Desert Partnership located in Hines. The collaborative was created in 2008 and works in cooperation with the Forest Service through the Emigrant Creek Ranger District to foster forest restoration projects that will earn broad support. READ MORE.

New Natural Resource Economy Picks Up Steam In Harney County

When Louisiana-Pacific Corp. closed its laminated veneer mill in Hines in 2007, the Harney County economy took a major hit affecting 91 jobs. There was no instant fix, and the county has been continually searching for ways to encourage local businesses and create jobs. Part of the solution may be what University of Oregon researchers Mike Hibbard and Sue Lurie have termed “the new natural resource economy.” In a study titled, “Supporting Eastern Oregon’s New Natural Resource Economy,” published in 2017, Hibbard and Lurie and their project team interviewed 42 businesses that are part of the new natural resource economy to understand their specific needs and to identify ways governments and economic development organizations can respond to these needs. READ MORE.

Funding for the Forest

The Harney County Forest Restoration Collaborative recently received just over $64,000 from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to continue their work to:

create greater wildfire tolerance,
sustain diverse forest ecosystems,
increase economic capacity by supporting new and emerging market opportunities, and
improve the ability to rehabilitate the forest on a landscape scale.

Thank you OWEB!

EcoSource & HDP

EcoSource Native Seed & Restoration is now a standalone nonprofit independent of High Desert Partnership. READ More about the relationship between EcoSource and HDP.

Rangeland Fire Protection Association Summit

This summit is coming up April 6 & 7 at the Elks Club in Burns. If you're interested in attending, contact Marvin Vetter at marvin.j.vetter@odf.oregon.gov for a registration form.

2022 Upcoming Events

Monday, February 14 | High Desert Partnership celebrates 15 years!

Wednesday, February 16 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting

Tuesday, February 22 | BizHarney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting

Monday, February 28 | Harney County Forest Restoration Collaborative Meeting

Tuesday, March 15 | Harney County Wildfire Collaborative Meeting

Wednesday, March 16 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting

Wednesday & Thursday, April 6 & 7 | Rangeland Fire Protection Association Summit

Check out High Desert Partnership's event calendar.

Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and

Reviving Malheur Lake

Harney County Wildfire Collaborative and
Megafire Prevention

Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative and
Wild Flood Irrigation

Six Collaboratives Supported By

High Desert Partnership

HDP Website

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