Oregon Field Guide backdrop
Documentary

The Best Episodes of Oregon Field Guide

Every episode of Oregon Field Guide ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Oregon Field Guide!

Oregon Field Guide is a weekly television program produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting focusing on recreation, the outdoors, and environmental issues in the state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon zeitgeist, it is produced and

Airs on
PBS
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons24

All101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 1 - Crossing the Urban-Rural Divide
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Crossing the Urban-Rural Divide

    S21:E1

    In 2005, just as it seemed Oregon’s urban-rural divide had grown into an unbridgeable chasm, a handful of ranchers from rural Grant county did the unexpected. They invited kids from Portland's Sunnyside Environmental school to live and work along side them and see their side of life. The Urban-Rural exchange has continued every year since. Follow a group of students as they share in both the joy and the misery that comes with real rural life.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 2 - Bluebird Lady, Bull Run, Streaked Horn Lark
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Bluebird Lady, Bull Run, Streaked Horn Lark

    S21:E2

    Elsie Elzroth is one very dedicated woman. She has spent most of her life helping restore Western bluebird populations to the Corvallis area. The ancient forest that surrounds Portland's Bull Run water supply is off limits to logging after decades of controversy. But questions loom large over fire, climate change, and the risk of leaving a water supply untreated in one of the most pristine watersheds in the nation. Streaked Horned Lark ground-nesting species probably should be extinct by now except that, surprisingly, it has survived in the Portland area because of industrial development.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 3 - Boat Building, Sixgill Sharks, Tsunami Update
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - Boat Building, Sixgill Sharks, Tsunami Update

    S21:E3

    It takes an expert to build a traditional, seaworthy boat from scratch, right? See how a group of complete amateurs come together to hand-build a traditional style 12 person skin-on-frame "umiak" in just one week. Sixgill Sharks which normally spend their lives at the bottom of the world’s oceans have been found living in the relatively shallow waters of Puget Sound. Recreational divers and researchers lure sixgill sharks in for up close encounters. It’s believed Puget Sound is a sixgill shark nursery: a safe place to give birth and raise hundreds or perhaps a thousand or more young sharks. There has never been a report of a sixgill attack on a human. There’s research to show that the tsunami risk is far more severe than scientists previously thought. We look at Indian oral tradition recounting tsunamis that seem eerily accurate in light of new research. We look at the evidence that proves the risk is great, and what is being done about it in coastal communities.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 4 - Knowles Creek Update, Vultures, Wave Power
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Knowles Creek Update, Vultures, Wave Power

    S21:E4

    Knowles Creek used to be a floundering ecosystem, but Charley Dewberry and his team have successfully brought the stream back to life. In their attempts to restore the watershed basin surrounding Knowles Creek, Charley's team's efforts have caused the number of juvenile coho to triple since their restoration began in 1992. Once a controversial project, the scientists who defied conventional wisdom demonstrate how well the project has worked. Turkey Vultures are among the smartest birds in the worlds. Join Oregon’s foremost raptor expert, Jim Anderson, as he takes us on a comical journey from caves to canyons to a roadkill graveyard, all in search of a bird most people dismiss as “just plain ugly”. No, they’re not pretty, and yes, they eat food only after its long dead and stinky, but think about it… what would our world be like it all that dead stuff were left lying around? Update on Oregon State University project to use ocean waves off the Oregon coast to generate power.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 5 - Forest Thinning, Oregon Cave Cleaning, Portland Stairways
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Forest Thinning, Oregon Cave Cleaning, Portland Stairways

    S21:E5

    In Oregon's central Cascades along the Metolius river, timber harvesters and conservation groups are working together to find a better way to maintain the forests and prevent catastrophic forest fires. The process of selectively thinning restores the health of the forest and provides economic benefits to timber harvesters. Volunteer cleaners nit pick the Oregon Caves. But they’re not looking for trash. The hunt is for something much, much smaller. Even lint and hair contaminates and alters the sensitive cave ecosystem. Explore the fascinating history of Portland's hidden and not-so-hidden public stairways.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 6 - Bending the Wallowa River, Golf Clinic, Invasive Species Rapid
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - Bending the Wallowa River, Golf Clinic, Invasive Species Rapid

    S21:E6

    The Wallowa River bends again at the 6 Ranch near Enterprise, Oregon. It had been straight for a century. The ranch sacrificed some pasture to restore the river to a more natural path in order to restore endangered fish. Enjoy a little time on the greens with some enthusiastic golfers with special needs. Invasive garlic mustard and Japanese Knotweed are washing like a tide over the west hills toward the Tualatin River. But one Tualatin basin agency is reaching beyond their jurisdiction and sending foot soldiers out to beat back the invaders before they infest the watershed. Two Portland men create a wildly popular bike ride by going out of their way to make it the most difficult ride in the state.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Oregon Field Guide

    READ
  7. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 7 - Bryan Bates, Surfer, Devil's Staircase, Hagg Lake Expansion
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Bryan Bates, Surfer, Devil's Staircase, Hagg Lake Expansion

    S21:E7

    We head to Pacific City to learn more about the growing community of hardcore surfers. There's a place in the coast range so steep, rugged and disorienting that trails don’t go there. Many have trekked in and spent unplanned nights among the ancient trees trying to get out. That place is The Devil’s Staircase, a 30,000 acre area that redefines off-trail adventure. The reward for making it to the heart of this ancient forest, a chance to lay eyes on a rarely visited waterfall and swimming hole along wild, crystal clear Wassen Creek. Washington County wants to expand Hagg Lake to secure enough water for the next 50 years of growth. After years of planning, they’ve hit an expensive snag. New tests show the current dam does not meet today’s standards for earthquake safety.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 8 - Murres & Eagles, Geocaching, Wind and Bats
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Murres & Eagles, Geocaching, Wind and Bats

    S21:E8

    Every spring, half a million seabirds called common murres come to nest on the rocks off the Oregon coast. As the number of bald eagles has increased in recent years, their attacks have brought havoc to the murre's breeding grounds. Tag along with an Oregon family as they go Geocaching - a game that was born in Oregon and has swept the globe. Using hand held GPS devices players scour the countryside in search hidden treasure. Sometimes hidden in a cave or under a rock these caches contain a log book and some sort of trinket. Players sometimes leave a trinket of their own, if they take what they find, but the real reward is in the hunt for more and more hidden caches. If you’ve taken a drive through the gorge lately, you’ve seen that turbines seem to be sprouting up faster than grass. Wind energy is big business now. Unfortunately, those turbines are taking an unexpected toll on migrating bats.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 9 - Ethanol, Forest Surveyors, Old Tree
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - Ethanol, Forest Surveyors, Old Tree

    S21:E9

    If you own a boat that runs on gas, maintaining your boat has changed dramatically since the State of Oregon mandated ethanol blend at the pumps. When we think of surveyors, we think about the guy along the road with a laser level. Well there’s another kind of surveyor who’s job is to hike into the wilderness, ensuring that the history of Oregon’s first statewide land survey from the 1800’s isn’t lost to time. Join a 3-day journey deep into the Eagle Cap Wilderness in search of a truly ancient tree. Discovered on a dangerously steep mountain, the limber pine could be among the oldest trees in Oregon – and it’s still alive.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 10 - Ocean Acidification, Pygmy Owls, Green Roofs
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Ocean Acidification, Pygmy Owls, Green Roofs

    S21:E10

    The ocean is turning more acidic as CO2 emissions rise, and shellfish are struggling to survive in the more acidic sea. For those interested in learning more about what is a very complicated topic, check out the following resources; some are fairly academic, others are "plain speak". A tiny, seldom seen bird is discovered alive and well in an unexpected place. Join a biologist who spent more than 300 days tracking dozens of elusive pygmy owls in the middle of city of Portland. They live in Forest Park. Portland hopes to capture some of the 10 billion gallons of rain that flows off 12,000 acres of roofs in the city by promoting eco-roofs. The city and Oregon State University find roofs covered in plants and soil soak up and hold 40 to 55% of the rain that would normally run down storm drains.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 11 - Brown Pelicans, Freeriding, Oak Savannah
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Brown Pelicans, Freeriding, Oak Savannah

    S21:E11

    The brown pelican has rebounded so successfully, the government has removed it from the endangered species list. Today, the largest pelican roost site in the Northwest sits in Oregon. But when thousands of pelicans lingered too long, winter storms caused severe injuries. Volunteers with the Wildlife Center of the North Coast rushed to save them, nurse them and months later, release them to the wild. Painful, thrilling, crazy -- these are just some of the terms freeriders themselves use to describe their sport. Freeriding is a new twist on a style of mountain biking that originated in Canada where wooden ramps and bridges and logs were laid so bikers could avoid muddy forest trails. Join a group of these daring thrill-seekers in the Oregon forests as they negotiate trails over four-inch logs, high platforms, and bone-rattling jumps. Several endangered Oregon species, including the Kincaid's lupine, rely on oak savannah, a type of habitat that once covered a million acres in the Willamette Valley. Now only pockets of the distinctive landscape of huge oaks and open grassland remains.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Oregon Field Guide Season 21 Episode 12 - Dead Zone Update, Whychus Creek, Coast Aquarium, Sea Turtles
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Dead Zone Update, Whychus Creek, Coast Aquarium, Sea Turtles

    S21:E12

    A one time dead zone off Oregon’s coast turns out not to be an isolated incident. Oxygen levels are plummeting every summer now. Scientists deploy an army of sensors, including a diving robot explorer, to learn what’s changed in our ocean. For the last 40 years salmon and steelhead have been missing from a place called Whychus creek. But they’re about to come back, and ecologists are getting busy with bulldozers as they prepare for their return. A trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for a look at what it takes staff and volunteers to care for thousands of animals.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 1 - Arctic White Geese, Paragliding Race, Treeverse
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Arctic White Geese, Paragliding Race, Treeverse

    S23:E1

    Arctic White Geese Hundreds of thousands of migrating geese create a blizzard which blankets the sky and covers farmers’ fields. The birds move north from Klamath Falls to Summer Lake to the farms near Burns during their annual migration to the Arctic. The hungry birds create one of the easiest, closest wildlife viewing opportunities in the state. Paragliding Race The Rat Race Paragliding event is like a yacht race in the sky, and attracts 160 of the best paragliding pilots in the world in a mesmerizing display of color and skill. Treeverse Filmmaker John Waller teams up with tall-tree arborists on an unprecedented “treeverse” through the canopy of Oregon white oaks near Canby. The 5-day quest will test the ingenuity and grit not only of the climbers but every shooter, rigger, and John himself. Why brave the cold, mud and storms of March in treetops? To find out if it can be done, sure. But also to celebrate the majestic beauty of these rapidly disappearing native groves.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 2 - Elk at Mount St. Helens, Lighthouse Photoessay, Snowkiting
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Elk at Mount St. Helens, Lighthouse Photoessay, Snowkiting

    S23:E2

    Scientists investigate the thousands of elk who have returned to Mount St. Helens. Matt Thames combines his love of snowboarding with “kiting” to reach heights of 80-100 feet. Lighthouse Photoessay.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 3 - Bighorn Release, Photogeology, Willamette Valley Fen
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Bighorn Release, Photogeology, Willamette Valley Fen

    S23:E3

    Bighorn Release ODFW continues 60 years of bighorn restoration with their latest release in historic sheep country near the John Day Fossil Beds. Within months many of the sheep had spread out through remote canyons and newborn lambs were leaping with them up cliffs. But one group of rams wandered another direction, leading to a serious setback which resulted in their deaths. Photogeology Tour A beautiful tour of the stunning Jordan Craters and Leslie Gulch as we learn more about the wonders of Oregon geology. Willamette Valley Fen Have you ever heard of a fen? These unique geographic features used to be fairly common in Western Oregon and Washington but now they are rare. We visit what may be the last intact fen left in the Willamette Valley and see plant species that exist nowhere else.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 4 - Bald Eagle Recovery, Cyclocross, Jim Anderson
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Bald Eagle Recovery, Cyclocross, Jim Anderson

    S23:E4

    Bald Eagle Recovery More bald eagles spend the winter in Oregon than anywhere in the U.S. outside Alaska. The national symbol is no longer endangered. Yet there is one area in Oregon where eagles have trouble successfully hatching eggs. Cyclocross We head to Estacada to witness the bruising sport of Cyclocross, a sport that combines the grit of mountain biking, the speed of road racing, and the crashes of a steeplechase course. Race Organizer Brad Ross has been organizing the Cross Crusade series of races for years, races that now draw up to 1500 people per race. That’s a far cry from what we saw during Oregon Field Guide’s first story on cyclocross 15 years ago. Jim Anderson Jim Anderson is one of Oregon’s most beloved naturalists. We celebrate his legacy and the many stories he’s been involved with over the decades on Oregon Field Guide.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 5 - Nature Sound Recording, Silver Falls State Park, Zumwalt Cooperation
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Nature Sound Recording, Silver Falls State Park, Zumwalt Cooperation

    S23:E5

    Nature Sounds Recording John Hartog is a nature sound recordist. Just as painters paint a landscape, or photographers photograph it, John heads into the countryside (Sauvie Island and Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge) with a microphone and a recording deck to capture the natural sounds of wild Oregon. These audio ‘snapshots’ in time tell us something about the place we live, and the wildlife that share it with us. Silver Falls State Park 1.5 million people every year make Silver Falls State Park the most popular state park in Oregon. They may be surprised to learn that 80 years ago that a town sat there, the area was full of stumps and the biggest waterfall was a daredevil's playground. Silver Falls was saved by a single-minded photographer determined to protect it for everyone to enjoy. Zumwalt Cooperation Despite a century of cattle grazing, Oregon's Zumwalt Prairie remains healthy. A new study by Oregon State University shows low to moderate levels of grazing does not harm the survival of ground nesting birds. The Nature Conservancy's Zumwalt Prairie Preserve also allows grazing in a rare partnership of ranchers and conservationists.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 6 - Avalanche Safety, Fishing Quotas, Music in Nature
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Avalanche Safety, Fishing Quotas, Music in Nature

    S23:E6

    Avalanche Safety We follow students taking a level-one avalanche course with regional expert Glenn Kessler. The course includes snow profile analysis, avalanche beacon drills and basic snow science. Fishing Quotas Join a trawler on the high seas as he makes the worst catch imaginable: highly restricted canary rockfish. He must handle the unwanted haul under a brand new set of rules imposed on the industry in 2011. Catch shares now give out individual quotas of fish and hold those trawlers accountable when they catch too many. It's the biggest change to west coast trawling in 50 years. Music in Nature We follow musicians Deklun and Pace from Mount Hood to the coast as they find natural homes for their unique Electronic/trumpet musical improvisations. With a 1000 watt sound system, a computer and a trumpet, they don’t play for crowds. They play for an audience of nature alone.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 7 - Columbia Gorge: The Fight for Paradise
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Columbia Gorge: The Fight for Paradise

    S23:E7

    Columbia Gorge: The Fight for Paradise As the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act turns 25, a look back at its dual mandate of protection and economic development.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Oregon Field Guide Season 23 Episode 14 - Mount Hood Climbing Oregon's Highest Peak
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Mount Hood Climbing Oregon's Highest Peak

    S23:E14

    From all around our region, Mt Hood sits on the horizon like a tantalizing gem. Who hasn’t dreamed of climbing it? In fact, people come from around world to do just that. But as Oregonians, we’re lucky enough to have it in our own back yard. Tonight, Jule Gilfillan explores the history, challenges and rewards of climbing our highest peak.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Oregon Field Guide Season 24 Episode 1 - Cranberry Farming, Grebes Walk on Water, North Umpqua Geology
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Cranberry Farming, Grebes Walk on Water, North Umpqua Geology

    S24:E1

    Cranberry Farming Oregon cranberry farmers call the south coast the NAPA valley of cranberry farming in the US. A longer growing season produces sweet berries. But don’t believe the myth that they grow in watery bogs. Cranberry fields are flooded only two days a year to help the farmers get the berries off the vine at harvest time. Grebes Walk on Water How on earth do grebes dance on the surface of the water? Thanks to high speed cameras we see just how grebes can propel themselves as if they walk on top of the water in the Upper Klamath Lake. It is an amazing sight. North Umpqua Geology Join us on a journey to another Oregon location that is unique in the world. Southern Oregon’s North Umpqua River is one of our more dramatic landscapes: a place where rivers collide and three distinct mountain ranges meet. It is an incredible trip into this geologic wonderland.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Oregon Field Guide Season 24 Episode 2 - Citizen Science, Ice Diving, Time-lapse Photography
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Citizen Science, Ice Diving, Time-lapse Photography

    S24:E2

    Citizen Science Scientists are increasingly turning to citizens for help gathering data. Ice Diving Why would anyone intentionally dive into a frozen lake? Field Guide follows ice divers from the Klamath County Dive Search & Rescue Team into a dangerous world of freezing temperatures and surprising beauty. Time-lapse Photography We follow photographer Ben Canales to find out how he gets his stunning time-lapse imagery.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Oregon Field Guide Season 24 Episode 3 - Cattle Drives, Gorge Weeds, Timberline 75th
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Cattle Drives, Gorge Weeds, Timberline 75th

    S24:E3

    Cattle Drives A historic cattle ranch in southeastern Oregon moves cows every day. In many ways, cattle drives there have changed little since a century ago. The ranch herds cattle from one end of a million acre range to the other over the course of a year. Gorge Weeds The Columbia Gorge is one of our favorite playgrounds. But recreational use brings in noxious weeds that crowd out native species and upset the area’s ecological balance. We take a look at the challenges state agencies, land managers and non-profit groups face in trying to control the influx of these invasive “game-changers” and their efforts to coordinate these efforts. Timberline 75th Oregon’s Timberline Lodge was part of FDR’s Works Progress Administration - a program that not only put people to work, but also preserved some of the finest of the Northwest’s indigenous arts. Despite the museum-quality art and hand-made furnishings, Timberline is still open to the public today.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Oregon Field Guide Season 24 Episode 4 - Mt. Hood's Volcanic Past, Warren Falls, Yellow Tuft Alyssum
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Mt. Hood's Volcanic Past, Warren Falls, Yellow Tuft Alyssum

    S24:E4

    Mt. Hood's Volcanic Past Mt. Hood is an active volcano with a history of relatively recent eruptions. Warren Falls A man-made waterfall in the Columbia Gorge blocks a natural fall. One man wants to end that. Yellow Tuft Alyssum A new invasive species from Europe has been introduced in the Illinois River valley.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Oregon Field Guide Season 24 Episode 5 - Cloud Cap Inn, Drift Diving, Jim Rogers
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Cloud Cap Inn, Drift Diving, Jim Rogers

    S24:E5

    Cloud Cap Inn Cloud Cap Inn on Mt Hood’s north side endures as the oldest alpine lodge in the US. Drift Diving Take a dive into the chilly Wilson River as we hunt for Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout as part of a research project to see how well they're doing. Jim Rogers Jim Rogers helped create two wilderness areas on Oregon’s south coast along the Elk River.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Crossing the Urban-Rural Divide" is the best rated episode of "Oregon Field Guide". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 8/8/2009. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Bluebird Lady, Bull Run, Streaked Horn Lark".