It's not easy being a small business right now and for that reason and many others we're thankful for several people who are working to help Harney County businesses navigate federal assistance programs and keep their businesses going as we live with COVID-19 restrictions. Special thanks to Andrea Letham with the Treasure Valley Community College Small Business Center; Denise Rose and Greg Smith with Harney County Economic Development; Lola Johnson with Harney County Chamber of Commerce and Brad Attig with Foundry Collective.

These four are working one-on-one with business owners and participating in, and in Brad's case creating, programs to help small businesses during this time and into the future. While doing this work they're also volunteering with the BizHarney Collaborative, along with many others, as we work together to determine how as a collaborative unit, we can support the rural economy of Harney County.

One effort kicking off soon is a virtual workshop series, Whatever It Takes, this 5-part online workshop series was specifically developed for small businesses in rural communities and will help them to discover how customer's needs have changed during this trying time and how to better adapt to those new needs. If you're a small business owner, watch this overview session to see if this workshop could be a fit for you.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been helping America’s private landowners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources since 1935. 

Zola Ryan, District Conservationist with the NRCS office in Hines, shares, the agency has a strategic approach to conservation. There are five areas of focus or priority in Harney County: aquatic health, Medusa head management, juniper encroachment, riparian condition and groundwater availability. These priorities are formulated through a local workgroup that meets annually. Private landowners, conservation groups, state and federal agencies and others offer input on what the priorities should be for the next five to 10 years. For each of the five priorities, NRCS creates a conservation implementation strategy, which is basically a detailed plan for a specific issue. READ MORE.

The tentacles of the COVID-19 virus reach far and wide and another place its impact is being felt is in our forests. Per the U.S. Forest Service they are "pausing all spring prescribed fire efforts on national forest lands across the states of Oregon and Washington."

“We care deeply about our communities across the region and didn’t want to risk introducing smoke from prescribed fire into communities that may be affected by COVID-19,” said John Giller, Director of Fire and Aviation Management for the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service. “With this pause, we can better protect those who may also be in higher-risk groups for COVID-19, such as the elderly and those with underlying respiratory conditions.”    

"While frequent, low-intensity fire is essential to the long-term health of many northwest forests and communities, employee and public safety remains the top priority. The Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region contains 17 National Forests, a National Scenic Area, a National Grassland, and two National Volcanic Monuments, all within the States of Oregon and Washington."

Events are planned by Portland Audubon's Eastern Oregon Field Coordinator, Teresa Wick.

Find the calendar of events here with the knowledge that future events could be cancelled to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please check the calendar: Portland Audubon Harney County events before venturing out to an event or contact Teresa Wicks at twicks@audubonportland.org.