Oregon Field Guide

Series / 35 Seasons

Oregon Field Guide is your destination for outdoor recreation, ecology, natural resource and travel stories from across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

29m 28s

Moving Meacham Creek

7m 46s / TV-G

A massive restoration project is underway in Northeast Oregon, where a creek is not only being restored but literally moved back to its original location prior to 1855. Salmon are at risk, but so too is an entire tribe’s way of life. We explore the connection between Meacham Creek and the ‘First Foods’ of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation.

Waterfall Hunters

8m 38s / TV-G

Two of Oregon’s most adventurous waterfall hunters set a goal to see 365 waterfalls in a year despite a crippling injury to one of them. Hiking. Especially off-trail, became great therapy and they blew past their goal, ultimately seeing 500 in a single year. In the process, Tim Burke & Melinda Muckenthaler discovered waterfalls not on any maps and with no evidence of being photographed before.

Tenkara

7m 45s / TV-G

An ancient simple form of fly-fishing from Japan has become popular in US. Tenkara rods have no reel, a short but extendable rod and a fixed length of light line. Fans say it makes fly fishing possible even on small mountain streams.

Gravity Sports

7m 25s / TV-G

The world cup Maryhill Festival of Speed is the largest gravity sports event in North America where downhill skateboarders and street lugers battle it out in downhill racing. It takes place each year in a place most people have never heard of: historic Maryhill Loops Road in Goldendale, Washington.

Hole in the Lake

8m 39s / TV-G

A geologic mystery in the Cascades captivates tourists heading over Santiam Pass. Several holes have been found in the bottom of Lost Lake. They act like bathtub drains and suck the water away underground. Geologists say they feed a subterranean plumbing system that feeds other lakes in the McKenzie River system.

Oyster Meroir

14m / TV-G

Oysters, like wine, take their distinctive flavor from the aquaculture of their home bays. We visit an oyster hatchery, a small oyster farm on Netarts Bay as well as the largest shellfish producer in the US to learn how these delectable marine animals are seeded, grown, and savored for their unique "merior."

Sea Lions

9m 36s / TV-G

West coast sea lions now number 300,000 strong and must travel farther afield for food. That has brought record numbers to the Columbia River. Government and tribal biologists believe the sea lions eat too many endangered salmon. They now have permits to harass and kill the sea mammals. Sea lion advocates believe sea lions kill a fraction of the salmon killed by the impacts of hydro-electric dams

Halfway Calendar

7m 57s / TV-G

What's a novel way to promote the outdoors lifestyle and raise a little money for community projects? How about put together a calendar starring the hunting-gathering women of Halfway? That's just what happened last year and the success of the 2015 calendar has prompted the community to do it again for 2016.

Desert Frogs

7m 59s / TV-G

Columbia Spotted Frogs require full time water yet find a way to live in the desert. Researchers conducting a remarkably long study have returned to Dry Creek in far southeastern Oregon each year since 2001 to keep learn more about these frogs of the desert.

Sandcastle Contest

6m 9s / TV-G

Every summer, thousands of people flock to the Oregon Coast for the sights and sounds of the annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle contest. Join us as we follow one family, the Jessops, through the ups and downs of the competition. How do they build these elaborate sand creations? What keeps them-and the crowds-coming back for more?

Dam Removals

2m 36s / TV-G

In the past decade, several high-profile dam removals have happened in the Northwest. But not all dams are created equally. Not all pose insurmountable problems for migrating fish. But dams can fundamentally change large swaths of river ecosystems. And age, disuse and advances in technology have made many dams obsolete. That’s changing how we as a society think about dams.

Urban Beavers

8m 58s / TV-G

A building boom by beavers has backed up water in streams all around Portland. A decade ago, many of the beavers would have been trapped and killed. Now, local governments are more likely to let the beavers stay in the name of natural flood protection and restoring habitat.

Could a Mushroom Save a Honeybee

5m 40s / TV-G

Honeybees throughout the United States have been struggling for nearly a decade. Now, two scientists in Washington State are teaming up to help the pollinator. And they are investigating an unconventional remedy: the mushroom.

Pasta Seed Pods

8m 33s / TV-G

An Italian pasta machine and a doughnut maker might help regrow burned deserts. Scientist in Oregon use the machines to mash seeds together and give them a boost so they have a better chance of sprouting and surviving in sagebrush country after wildfires have burned the landscape. Until now, reseeding efforts have spread seeds that largely died in the desert crust.

Cormorant Vs. Salmon

9m 50s / TV-G

Salmon face serious challenges in the Northwest. But how far should we go to protect them? The nation’s largest colony of double-crested cormorants is feasting on wild salmon. To protect the fish, the Army Corps of Engineers decided to kill thousands of these cormorants. Bird advocates say that’s going too far.

Sand Labyrinth

6m 53s / TV-G

Denny Dyke began drawing classical labyrinths on the sandy beaches near Bandon in 2011. Once completed, he walks the labyrinth to the center and out again. Recently, Denny's expanded his repertoire of labyrinth-types, and now even makes up his designs on the spot. Tourists and locals alike flock to see Denny's work and to walk the mysterious and beautiful labyrinths before the tides takes it.

Wildlife Crossings

9m 5s / TV-G

The fall months of October and November are peak season for deer to be on the move. They’re migrating. The Oregon State Police says those are also the top months for car crashes with wildlife. A few years ago, the Department of Transportation built the state’s very first large scale wildlife passage structure. Hidden cameras show wildlife flock to it.

Behind the Scenes Mt St Helens Glacial Cave

10m 33s / TV-G

In 2014 Oregon Field Guide set off to explore the possible findings of a new cave system rumored to exist inside the glacier on the crater's south side of Mt St. Helens. The segment aired with a fascinating story of its discovery but the shoot did not end as hoped. This behind the scenes view will reveal the difficult challenges and circumstances that lead to a dramatic departure from the crater.

Unprepared Documentary Trailer

6m 10s / TV-G

Unprepared: An Oregon Field Guide Special is part of an integrated radio, TV and online effort that examines our region's vulnerability to a mega-quake. Can we prepare? And what lessons can we learn from earthquakes elsewhere? Join us for the premiere airing of this documentary October 1, 2015. This short trailer will demonstrate how important it is that we explore steps to be better prepared.

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