Behind the Scenes of Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood's Secret World
Go behind the scenes to see how Oregon Field Guide produced the half-hour special “Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood’s Secret World.”
Classroom at Crater Lake
Ona Larsell’s fourth graders at La Pine Elementary are about 60 miles away from Crater Lake, but most of have never visited the park. Through the Classroom at Crater Lake program, Ona’s students get a special outdoor learning experience, bringing them face-to-face with fallen log ecosystems, Central Oregon geology, species unique to high alpine forests, and autumn weather.
Wolf Haven International
For many people the opportunity to learn more about one of nature’s most efficient predators, the wolf, only comes from TV, books and the Internet. A wolf sanctuary near Tenino, Washington, Wolf Haven International is one of the few places where people are guaranteed to see and sometimes hear this elusive creature up close.
Photographer Bill Wallauer
Oregonian Bill Wallauer grew up hunting and enjoying the outdoors in Joseph and Grants Pass. But when he joined the Peace Corps in 1989 and befriend renown primatologist Jane Goodall, his life changed forever. 20 years later, Bill himself has become an internationally known wildlife photographer and behavioralist.
The Tuesday Crew
Since the early 80s, one group of dedicated volunteers has shown up, rain or shine, snow or ice to help maintain Portland’s Hoyt Arboretum. Thanks to efforts, this 187-acre tree museum and its 12 miles of trails stay in good condition year-round.
Willamette Greenway
One of the boldest plans ever proposed in Oregon called for a park 200 miles long, lining the banks of the Willamette River all the way from Springfield from Portland. The plan hit opposition from farmers when the state started seizing farmland. The Greenway still exists but in a much different form today.
Dory Builder
Pacific City, Oregon owes its identity, and its fishing industry, to dory boats. The flat-bottomed, no-keel boats take off from dry sand directly into the surf. When they return, fishermen throttle up full blast to slide back in using the beach as their brakes. A group of students from Linfield College are making a major effort to preserve the unique history.
Hanami
We explore the beauty and meaning behind the Japanese observance of Hanami or “Cherry-Blossom Viewing.” Each spring, Portland’s Japanese-American community gathers under the city’s lovely waterfront cherries, to enjoy the blossoms, reflect on the transience of nature and pay tribute to the victims of 2011’s tragic earthquake and tsunami.
Diving for Science
Oregon’s notoriously dark, cold and turbulent coastal ocean hold a surprisingly colorful array of sea life. Scuba divers with extensive training brave pounding tidal surge and low visibility to explore for science and collect animals and other sea life for the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Certified Scientific Divers work under strict permits and never take over-fished or endangered species.
Portland Fruit Tree Project
Portland is essentially a huge urban orchard. There are fruit trees everywhere! And these trees are beautiful to look at, but they also require a lot of work. Find out how one fast growing, non-profit organization is turning Portland’s abundant fruit supply into a valuable community resource.
Columbia River Toxins
The mid-Columbia River, above Bonneville Dam, has never been tested extensively for contamination until now. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality conducted one of its largest surveys and found the middle river shares many of the same contaminants as the lower river.
Backpacking the Olympic Coast
Three women backpack along the wilderness section of the Olympic Peninsula coastline, navigating tides, steep headlands, and isolated tracts of pristine beaches. They discover abundant wildlife, tidal pools, and natural beauty. And along the way as they encounter natural hazards and challenges, they discover a renewed vigor, kinship, and sense of empowerment.
Llama Backpacking
Monica Drost and her friends have been backpacking together since they were in college. But now in their 50s, they can’t carry their heavy packs anymore. Luckily, they found a llama outfitter and can now enjoy the wilderness without the aches and pains.
Christmas Bird Count
Portland has the second largest Christmas Bird Count in the Americas as volunteers dedicate one concentrated day to taking a census of area birds. The CBC provides the nation’s best record of the rise and fall of bird populations.
BioBlitz
There’s only one place in Oregon where you can find wild elk, mountain beaver and pygmy owls in the middle of a city - it’s Portland’s Forest Park. But these, and a myriad of other species, remain hidden from most Portlanders. During the Spring of 2012, over 150 wildlife experts and volunteers converged on the park for 24 hours to search streams, trees, and undergrowth for anything that moved.
Outdoor School
Outdoor School has been a rite of passage for sixth graders in the Portland metro area since the mid-1960s. Recently, we spent a week at Camp Namanu outside Sandy with a group of students. We interview founder Warren “Gil” Gilfillan, and see film of students, educators and Mr. Gilfilan from the first Outdoor School in 1966.
Condors and Lead
Condor recovery efforts face serious setbacks when dozens of birds released to the wild get sick or die from lead poisoning. Scientists link the lead found in the condors to bullet fragments from hunters’ carcass discards. Producer - Vince Patton Videographer - Todd Sonflieth Editor - Lisa Suinn Kallem Video Courtesy - Jeff McLoughlin & "Shadow of the Condor", Michael Durham, Oregon Zoo
Stormwater
Stormwater is a toxic cocktail of sediment, grease, road grime, tire wear and any litter small enough to slip into storm drains. And that’s just what can be seen. There’s much more.
Aerial Fish Stocking
Every other year, Oregon biologists dangle a device below a helicopter and drop young fish into high mountain lakes for the pleasure of Cascade anglers. The state takes precautions to sterilize many of the fish because most of the fish planted in Oregon lakes are not native to the region.
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