People Who CollaborateBecca Birch serves as Vice Principal at Slater Elementary and is the AVID District Director in Harney County, where she balances administrative responsibilities with district-wide educational initiatives. Her days are filled with a variety of tasks that support the school community.
Birch's path to education wasn't direct. She began studying architecture at Arizona State University before switching to civil engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno with the plan to earn her degree and enlist in the Air Force. While working at a preschool to help pay for her education, she discovered her passion for teaching and changed her major to elementary education. "It was the best decision I could have made!" Birch reflects. READ MORE.
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Rangeland Fire Protection Associations Prove Their Worth in 20242024 marked a year of extreme fire behavior in Oregon, evidenced by a record 1.9 million acres burned and 6 megafires over 100,000 acres. Eastern Oregon bore the brunt of the destruction, with fires consuming 1.7 million acres where RFPAs operated amid the devastation.
RFPAs demonstrated their value through multiple successful initial attacks when no agency resources were available. Their actions prevented tens to hundreds of thousands of additional acres from burning across major fires, including Little Valley, Cow Valley, Durkee, Town Gulch, Hole in the Ground, Falls, Telephone, Lone Rock, Crazy Creek, Shoe Fly, Rail Ridge and others. "Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) have displayed commendable efforts during this trying time helping protect their neighbors’ lives and livelihoods to the risk of their own.” ~US Senator Merkley, US Senator Wyden, Congressmen in an August 1, 2024 letter to the US Department of Agriculture.
Watch and hear from Mark McBride (Vale RFPA), Jeff Burkhardt (Vale and Ironside RFPAs) and Levi Bunch (Burnt River RFPA) reflect on the 2024 wildfire season.
Read the RFPA Annual Newsletter, 2024.
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Podcast Feature
High Desert Partnership's board member Gary Marshall on "This Place" podcast.
We're proud to share this Oregon Humanities podcast featuring our own Gary Marshall, fifth generation Harney County rancher and one of the founders of High Desert Partnership. On "This Place" Gary shares his unique perspective on and connection to, Harney County. Listen
Photo by Brandon McMullen
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Harney County Migratory Bird FestivalApril 10 - 13
Spend 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.
Registration for tours and events HERE.
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Biz Harney Hosts Successful Small Business Community EventWednesday, February 26, the Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative hosted its first Small Biz Community Meeting titled “Funding to Start and Grow Your Small Business” in downtown Burns. The event attracted approximately 26 participants, including current business owners, entrepreneurs, partners, and visionaries and explored various funding opportunities available for small businesses in Harney County. Brad Attig from Foundry Collective, a partner of Biz Harney, presented on the Economic Equity Investment Program (EEIP). This grant, established by Senate Bill 1579, aims to provide funding to organizations that offer outreach, support, and resources to eligible beneficiaries. Brad also talked about the KIVA Loan Program. Kiva Oregon, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform, can help small businesses access 0% interest, no-fee loans.
Along with those programs, guest speakers Susan Christensen, the Executive Director of Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation (GEODC), Taylor Thompson VP commercial loan officer of SELCO bank, and Keith Kennedy owner and operator of Teku Nobi Food Cart spoke. Susan provided information on GEODC’s lending programs, grant writing services, and administrative services. Taylor Thompson spoke about SELCO’s lending programs and how to better prepare for the lending process. Keith Kennedy shared his success story. As a new entrepreneur, Keith obtained a EEIP grant for his small business Teku Nobi, a food truck. Keith used his EEIP grant to install a fire suppression system on his food cart. His story was so inspiring and lucky for us, his food cart will be up and running in Harney County very soon!
This event brought together people from all different stages of business along with partners that have the resources to help them succeed! Biz Harney will host bi-monthly events alternating with its Harney County Food Systems initiative. The next event is Wednesday, March 26, a Harney County Food Systems event tailored around meat production in Harney County. Biz Harney will follow in April with an event about business and tourism. We are excited to unite individuals at every level to collaborate together and enhance the economy of Harney County.
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The Harney WayIn the vast expanse of Oregon's high desert, where sagebrush meets sky and time moves to the rhythm of seasons, lies Harney County - a place where the connection between people and land transcends geography. The documentary, The Harney Way, takes you to Harney County where the spirit of cooperation isn't just an idea - it's the very fabric that holds this community together through drought, economic hardship, and changing times.
This film was funded through Oregon House Bill 2010 to assist Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative's public engagement work supporting wetlands restoration in Harney Basin, for the benefit of lands, community and wildlife in southeast Oregon.
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New Chapter is Underway for Malheur National Wildlife Refuge's Conservation PlanningThe Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is underway with its next phase of collaborative conservation planning and is inviting the community to help shape its future management. At the heart of this new phase is readdressing the existing Comprehensive Conservation Plan, a strategic document that will continue to guide the refuge's management for the next 15 years.
See below for the meeting schedule, who to contact with questions and more. All are welcome to participate in this collaborative planning process.
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Harney County Food Systems Gardening Series EventsOn Saturday, March 1, a large gathering of inspiring gardeners meet in a high tunnel owned by Kellie Frank. The goal of this event was to gather together and learn about garden area layout, soil treatment, and installing irrigation from gardening expert Brenda Smith. Brenda demonstrated how to create a raised bed, what amendments can be added to the soil and what amounts. There was a demonstration on how to lay drip irrigation as well as a discussion and demonstration on which parts to use. A bed was prepped, irrigation laid out, flowers planted, and then covered using row cover.
This group also had the opportunity to be joined by Reno Flower Company, Diego and Jesse, who provided some great insight to flower gardening and irrigation. This event provided an opportunity for all to network and discuss what has worked and what has not in this area. There was a brief discussion on composting and ideas for future educational classes. At the end of the gathering, Harney County Food Systems group hosted a drawing and gave away some gardening tools to our lucky winner, Jodie Riess. Spring is in the air, and our gardening enthusiasts left feeling motivated and excited to implement their newly learned gardening ideas.
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2025 Upcoming Events
Wednesday, March 12 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Monday, March 17 | Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan Collaborative Meeting
Tuesday, March 18 | Youth Changing the Community Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, March 26 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday April 9 | Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative Meeting
Wednesday, April 16 | High Desert Partnership Board Meeting
Wednesday, April 30 | Biz Harney Opportunity Collaborative Meeting
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