Browse all episodes of Oregon Field Guide

Driftnet Fishing, Oregon Bald Eagles

Episode 2

Episode 3

Seals and Sea Lions, Peregrin Falcons, Summer Lake

Episode 5

Episode 6

Forests of the Future, How to Call and Elk, In Search of Sasquatch

Episode 8

Behind the Scenes of Valhalla

Behind the Scenes of Mount Hood Glacier Caves

Behind the Scenes Mount Saint Helens Glacier Caves

Behind the Scenes Waterfall Kayaking

Behind the Scenes Oregon Revealed Coastal Wonder

Episode 14

Episode 15

Episode 16

Behind the Scenes Unearthing the lost stories of Mt Saint Helens

Tillamook Railroad, No Ivy League, Missoula Floods Erratics

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.

Crossing the Urban-Rural Divide

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.

Bluebird Lady, Bull Run, Streaked Horn Lark

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.

Boat Building, Sixgill Sharks, Tsunami Update

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.

Knowles Creek Update, Vultures, Wave Power

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.

Forest Thinning, Oregon Cave Cleaning, Portland Stairways

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.

Bending the Wallowa River, Golf Clinic, Invasive Species Rapid

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.

Bryan Bates, Surfer, Devil's Staircase, Hagg Lake Expansion

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.

Murres & Eagles, Geocaching, Wind and Bats

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.

Ethanol, Forest Surveyors, Old Tree

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.

Ocean Acidification, Pygmy Owls, Green Roofs

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.

Brown Pelicans, Freeriding, Oak Savannah

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.

Dead Zone Update, Whychus Creek, Coast Aquarium, Sea Turtles

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.

Arctic White Geese, Paragliding Race, Treeverse

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.

Elk at Mount St. Helens, Lighthouse Photoessay, Snowkiting

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.

Bighorn Release, Photogeology, Willamette Valley Fen

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.

Bald Eagle Recovery, Cyclocross, Jim Anderson

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.

Nature Sound Recording, Silver Falls State Park, Zumwalt Cooperation

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.

Avalanche Safety, Fishing Quotas, Music in Nature

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.

Columbia Gorge: The Fight for Paradise

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.

Mount Hood Climbing Oregon's Highest Peak

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.

Cranberry Farming, Grebes Walk on Water, North Umpqua Geology

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.

Citizen Science, Ice Diving, Time-lapse Photography

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.

Cattle Drives, Gorge Weeds, Timberline 75th

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.

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

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.

Cloud Cap Inn, Drift Diving, Jim Rogers

Aerial Fish Stocking Oregon uses helicopters every other year for aerial fish stocking in high mountain lakes. Hiking from Portland to the Pacific Coast A Portland man finds a way to hike from Portland to the coast without building new trails. 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, Hiking from Portland to the Pacific Coast, Stormwater

Autumn Rivers Photo Essay A beautiful tour of Oregon's rivers in Autumn. Condors and Lead Bullets Endangered condors released to the wild get ill and die from lead poisoning. Outdoor School Outdoor School has been part of life in Oregon for more than 40 years. We look at the past and present of this beloved institution.

Autumn Rivers Photo Essay, Condors and Lead Bullets, Outdoor School

Christmas Bird Count The Christmas Bird Count provides the nation’s best record of the rise and fall of bird populations. Forest Park BioBlitz Follow an army of wildlife experts and volunteers as they scour Portland’s Forest Park for every animal species they can find in twenty-four hours. Llama Backpacking Like the backcountry but can’t carry a heavy pack? Try a llama.

Christmas Bird Count, Forest Park BioBlitz, Llama Backpacking

Backpacking the Olympic Coast Three women backpack along the rugged Olympic Peninsula wilderness coastline. Columbia River Toxins Tests show the mid-Columbia river shares the same contamination as the lower river. Portland Fruit Tree Project Learn how one non-profit is turning Portland’s many fruit trees into a community resource.

Backpacking the Olympic Coast, Columbia River Toxins, Portland Fruit Tree Project

River of the Rogues River of the Rogues tells the story of the people and events that shaped the Rogue River.

River of the Rogues

Diving for Science Science divers brave hostile waters & see a world of life and beauty off the Oregon coast. Hanami Each spring, Portlanders are treated to a spectacular display of Yoshino cherry blossoms.

Diving for Science, Hanami

The White Salmon River Runs Free: Breaching the Condit Dam The Condit Dam removal helped endangered salmon.

The White Salmon River Runs Free: Breaching the Condit Dam

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 of the dory boats and the community that relies on them. 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.

Dory Builder, The Tuesday Crew, Willamette Greenway

Classroom at Crater Lake 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. 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 befriended renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, his life changed forever. 20 years later, Bill himself has become an internationally known wildlife photographer and behavioralist. We go along with Bill to a closed and protected natural research laboratory at Mt St Helens to photograph some of the Northwest’s most camera-shy inhabitants, elk. 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.

Classroom at Crater Lake, Photographer Bill Wallauer, Wolf Haven International

A first look inside newly-discovered glacier caves.

Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood's Secret World

Sneaker waves surprise beachgoers every year and sometimes turn deadly. Meet Frank Moore, a WWII veteran and legendary fly-fisherman on the North Umpqua River. Go behind the scenes of Oregon Field Guide's "Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood’s Secret World."

Oregon Coast Sneaker Wavew, Frank Moore, & Behind the Scenes

A local program teaches Washington State School for the Blind students about wildlife

Hands-On Environmental Education In Hood River

Buzz Bowman is an 83-year old legend on Mount Hood.  Kids from the Washington State School for the Blind enjoy a cross-country ski day.  A woman from Alaska finds wolverines in Oregon in her very first research effort.

Buzz Bowman, School for the Blind Ski Day, Wolverines

An Eastern Oregon stock ranch dedicated to sustainability.  Rock hounds flock to Oregon from around the world to find thundereggs.  Twenty years of research confirms amphibians are still declining and the causes are complex.

Imperial Stock Ranch, Geologic Snowflake Hunters , Amphibian Declines

Annual Double Damned race from Cascade Locks to The Dalles, Oregon.  A collision of recreation and conservation find a novel coexistence in central Oregon.  Fruit sleuths play detective to learn what kinds of apples grow on old trees.

Double Damned Race, The Pallisades, Apple Detectives

Oregonians find an amazing variety of mushrooms in their own backyards.  Small caramel-colored grylloblattids, or Ice Crawlers, thrive where few insects can: in Oregon’s mountain snow fields.  Paddle the mysterious disappearing ''bayou of the northwest."

Mushrooms, Ice Crawlers, Disappearing Lake

We head to the coast to explore some of Oregon's sea caves by kayak.  Sport climbing at Smith Rock is 30 years old now. We take a look back.  How Oregon’s 1973 radical land use planning system has survived and changed farming.

Sea Cave Kayaking, Smith Rock, Oregon Land Use

Oregon Field Guide special: Mustangs of Oregon. Wild horses are in crisis as more now live in captivity than in the wild.

Mustangs of Oregon: Wild Horses in Crisis

Students from the Muslim Educational Trust learn to build an igloo at Mount Hood.  Just above the Grande Ronde Valley is home to some of the rarest flowers in Oregon.  For centuries Rogue River Indians celebrated the season's first salmon with a ceremony

Snow School, Wildflowers, First Salmon Ceremony

Enter the colorful world of Chris Carvalho’s butterfly photography.  26-miles of natural wonders earn this trail the nickname “America’s #1 Trail.”  Aspiring researchers learn the how-to's of  wildlife research by studying the life and death of lizards in Oregon's Alvord desert.

Butterfly Watching, McKenzie River Trail, Lizard School

An Oregon farm reveals the secret to how it makes corn mazes every year. A group of mountain bikers have constructed one of Oregon's only bike only trail system.  A few Oregon balloonists make their own hot air balloons.

Corn Maze,  Mountain Biking, Hot Air Balloon Makers

Take a remarkable trip into the depths of Oregon's remote Salmon River Gorge where kayakers plunge down towering waterfalls with no possibility of retreat.  Mt Hood, Oregon is the only place in North America where skiers can train year-round.  We share a behind-the-scenes account of a story that will take your breath away.

Kayaking, Summer Ski Camp,  Behind the Scenes

Medics carry a virtual ambulance on their backs to rescue people in the wilderness.  Oregon Field looks back at the 1964 tsunami that struck the west coast.  Salmon and other wildlife have returned to a once overlooked urban creek in Portland.

Wilderness Medics, Tsunami Anniversary, Crystal Springs

Explorers brave rain and sleet as they launch a five-day expedition into the crater of Mount Saint Helens to search for unexplored glacier caves.  Nature photographer Peter Marbach finds healing from open heart surgery by returning to wilderness.

Discovery on Mount Saint Helens, Photographer Finds Healing

Tim Palmer has written 22 guidebooks to nature, rivers, and wild places.  Need some brush cleared? Hire some goats! Ranchers and biologists act in hopes of preventing an endangered listing for sage grouse.

Oregon's Rivers, Working Goats,  Sage Grouse

Kids learn nature and survival skills via zombie apocalypse role-playing camp.  Satellite tracking reveals sandhill cranes can fly 35mph and cover 250 miles in a day.  April, 2015 is the 50th anniversary of Oregon's oldest wildflower show.

Zombie Survival Camp, Sandhill Cranes, Wildflower Show

Two men try to breed stronger bees that can survive winter in Portland.  Long before the snowboarders show up, the snowcat sculptors are hard at work.. Veteran Chad Brown deals with PTSD through fly-fishing and he's bringing the art to youth.

Queen Bee Project, Snowcat Sculpting,  Urban Youth & Fly-fishing

Portland's weirdness comes out in an impromptu version of an 800 Norwegian ski race.  Christmas greens from our local forests also bring green to the northwest's economy.  The only hawk that dives into water for its food thrives with help from humans.  A tour of northwest wilderness areas marks the 50th year of the Act that preserved them.

Stumptown Skiing, Christmas Greens, Osprey Rebound

Meet equestrians who love to endure up to 100-mile trail rides.  Oregon families collect deer antlers without killing any animals. You've heard of fruit orchards, how about Douglas fir orchards.  A relaxing look at some wildlife on the Malheur refuge.

Endurance Riding, Collecting Antlers, Forest Seed Orchard

A hiker finds long lost evidence of a spider web of railroad lines used to cut down trees in the gorge. Gearhart is a seaside vacation town... right in the middle of elk habitat.  The largest living organism in the world hides out of sight in eastern Oregon.

Railroad History,  Elk, Humongous Fungus

Pedal powered "railriders" cruise an abandoned rail line between Joseph and Enterprise, Oregon. It's one of the first legal  excursions of its kind in the count.  What do Smurfs, sonar and rockfish have in common? All are being used to see if Oregon's marine reserves actually protect the fish they're designed for.  An annual spiritual canoe journey that embraces Native American culture and traditions.

Railriders, Rockfish, Native Canoe Ride

People who camp inside silver tubes love iconic Airstreams, invented by an Oregonian. The Oregon chub is the first fish to be removed from the Endangered Species List. A family timber firm says the forest itself must profit from logging more than they do

Airstream Camping,  Oregon Chub Recovery, Hyla Woods

Giant waves create a spectacular show on the southern Oregon coast. Oregon’s third largest lake dried up. Is more than drought to blame? Visit Ross Island, and find out why this new Portland park is not open to the public.  A look at the beauty and unique ecology of the aspen on Steens Mountain.

Giant Waves, Lake Albert, Ross Island, Steens

Oregon Field Guide travels to Japan nearly four years after a devastating earthquake and tsunami decimated towns along the Japanese coast. We look for lessons Oregon can learn as we prepare for our own Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami.  Follow a year in the Portland Rose Garden with the man who has tended it for two decades.

Japan's Earthquake,  Portland Rose Garden

A story of dune grass, snowy plover protection, bulldozers and beetles. What it takes to save the world's fastest beetle on the Oregon coast.  Visit a rare white oak savanna located on the south side of West Linn, Oregon

Siuslaw Hairy-Necked Beetle, Roberta's Savanna

Oregon Field Guide's special presentation - Unprepared - takes an in-depth look at Oregon's lack of preparedness for a major earthquake.

Unprepared: An Oregon Field Guide Special

Oregon's first wildlife crossing saves lives of deer and drivers. Now ODOT plans another crossing.  A behind-the-scenes look at Oregon Field's story on Mt St Helens and Glacier Caves.   Denny Dyke's labyrinth drawings in the sand last as long as the tides dictate.

Wildlife Crossings, Behind the Scenes,  Sand Labyrinth

How can a pasta machine help sagebrush landscapes grow back after fire?  Thousands of cormorants are to be killed because they eat so many salmon.  Honeybees throughout the United States have been struggling for nearly a decade.

Range Restoration, Cormorant vs. Salmon, Honeybees

There's a beaver boom all around Portland. Local agencies let them stay where they are. In the past decade, several high-profile dam removals have happened in the Northwest. Follow the Jessop family as they compete in the 51st annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest.

Urban Beavers,  Dam Removals, Sandcastle Contest

Columbia Spotted Frogs require full time water yet find a way to live in the desert.  Meet the calendar girls-slash-outdoors women of Halfway!

Frogs, Halfway Calendar,

The government responds to sea lions eating salmon with severe measures. Like the "terroir" of wine, oysters pick up their "meroir" from their home bays.

Sea Lions, Oyster Meroir

Ancient, simple fly-fishing from Japan called Tenkara becomes popular in the U.S.  A lake in the Cascades has several holes in it that look and act like bathtub drains. Find out why hundreds of downhill skateboarders and street lugers from around the world travel to Maryhill Loops Road for high-speed downhill racing.

Japanese Fly-fishing, Lost Lake, Festival of Speed.

A couple sets out to see 365 waterfalls in a year but instead finds 500.  A massive restoration project is underway in Northeast Oregon where a creek is not only being restored but literally moved to save salmon and an entire tribe’s way of life. Christmas season wouldn't be complete without the ship parade!

Waterfall Hunters, Meacham Creek, Christmas Ships

Oregon Field Guide's expedition into the Oregon wilderness in search of a possibly undiscovered geologic wonder.

Discovering Valhalla: Oregon's Hidden Gorge

Pikas are the adorable masters of the high country. So why are thousands of them living just a few hundred feet above sea level in the Columbia River Gorge? Oregonians help monarch butterflies with the one plant they need to survive: milkweed. We will also meet a group of ecologists who have cooked up a clever way to address the problem of invasive species – one bite at a time.

Pika, Monarchs & Milkweed and Invasive Species BBQ

Biologists relocate young trumpeter swans from Alaska and Wyoming. New research aims to find out how destructive a Cascadia earthquake would be. Glider pilots enjoy the thrill of soaring above the Alvord desert. Ridgefield photoessay.

Swan Transplants & Alvord Gliders

Highlighting the story behind the Oregon river legend Buzz Holmstrom, the first person to run the entire length of the Green and Colorado rivers. A bold project aims to plant 1 million trees and shrubs in a single year in the Tualatin River watershed. A look at what's below the Crater Lake National Park water surface that is putting the lake's clarity and native creatures in jeopardy.

Buzz Holmstrom & 1 Million Plants In A Year

Portland's Backyard Habitat program encourages homeowners to create a backyard environment that attracts more birds to the city, but does it really make an ecological difference. We'll also head to the coast where its traditional for 2nd graders to learn hands-on about the sea. And we'll check in one last time with Oregon Field Guide's producer Vince Patton as he prepares for retirement.

Backyard Habitat & 2nd-Graders at the Bay

A stand-up paddleboard adventure down the John Day River, the longest undammed river in Oregon.  Field Guide takes you behind the scenes as we head into the Oregon wilderness in search of a hidden geologic wonder.  A visual journey of the forests and waterfalls of the upper north fork Lewis River.

John Day River Paddleboarding and Behind The Scenes on Valhalla

We investigate why natural meadows are disappearing from the Pacific Northwest.  98 year old Frankie Dugal carries on a ranch tradition of horse-hair “mecate” ropemaking and is passing it on to the next generation in the southeast Oregon town of Jordan Valley.  We travel to Washington's Methow Valley to see how they're adopting a new form of recreation - fat bikes.

Disappearing Meadows

Bar pilots brave weather &amp; dangerous seas as they help commercial ships navigate the treacherous Columbia bar.  Join us for a tour of Wasco County and get a look at small town living as we meet some of the interesting characters that call Dufur, Oregon home.

Columbia River Bar Pilots

Oregon Field Guide revisits a story that originally aired in 2009. When it seemed that Oregon's urban-rural divide had grown into an unbridgeable chasm, a handful of ranchers from rural Grant county invited Portland school students to live and work alongside them, to see their side of life.

Who's watching out for the 600 sensitive species of Oregon wildlife? Find out why many biologists say Oregon is falling behind when it comes to protecting species across Oregon. Inspired by our recent visits to the Valhalla slot canyon, we wondered just how these unusual features form. And see how the Columbia River system's once-abundant smelt runs are officially threatened.

Who's Watching Oregon's Wildlife, Slot Canyon Geology and Eulachon Smelt

Join us on a remote expedition down 22 miles of the Wenaha river in Oregon's Blue Mountains where we encounter low water, log-jams and the blackened forest burned by the Grizzly Bear fire of 2015. We'll take you outdoors to a preschool with no buildings and visit with Erl McLaughlin of Enterprise, a wheat rancher, who spends his winters collecting and refurbishing tractors of every shape and size.

Wenaha River Packrafting, Outdoor Preschool and Tractor Museum

Prior to the eruption of Mt St Helens, few people realized there were mountain goats living in the area. Oregon Field Guide joins a survey to check on these high-climbing, sure-footed mammals. Meet Lynn and Bob Tompkins, an eastern Oregon couple who started Blue Mountain Wildlife, a raptor rescue facility. And see how bird advocates are testing out a replacement chimney for roosting swifts.

Mountain Goat Survey, Blue Mountain Wildlife and Vaux's Swift Chimneys

A look at how the isolated, storm-battered lighthouse on Tillamook Rock earned the nickname "Terrible Tillie." See the pleasures of river snorkeling and all lies beneath even the smallest bodies of water. And a simple broadcast of the comings and goings of ships passing Astoria has evolved into the most popular show on KMUN. It illuminates the sometimes invisible world of mariners.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, River Snorkeling and The Ship Report

Oregon Field Guide joins geologist Dr. Liz Safran and river guide Audrey Gehlhausen for a journey through the geologic wonderland of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Beginning in the small town of Rome, Oregon, our cameras reveal a raw and breathtaking landscape sculpted by lava flows, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

Lower Owyhee River, Bioluminescence and Oaks Bottom Forge

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 hosted by Steve Amen. Named for the field guides used to identify plants, animals, and natural phenomenon, the wide-ranging series covers Oregon natural history, outdoor recreation, conservation, agriculture, rural life, and other local subjects. Produced with deep narratives rather than short segments, 13 half-hour and one full-hour episodes are shown per year.

All Episodes of Oregon Field Guide

Season 1

Driftnet Fishing, Oregon Bald Eagles

Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 4/16/1990

Episode 2

Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/23/1990

Episode 3

Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/30/1990

Seals and Sea Lions, Peregrin Falcons, Summer Lake

Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 12/15/2017

Episode 5

Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 12/18/2017

Episode 6

Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 12/22/2017

Forests of the Future, How to Call and Elk, In Search of Sasquatch

Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/15/2017

Episode 8

Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/18/2017

Behind the Scenes of Valhalla

Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 6/1/2016

Behind the Scenes of Mount Hood Glacier Caves

Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 6/1/2016

Behind the Scenes Mount Saint Helens Glacier Caves

Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 6/1/2016

Behind the Scenes Waterfall Kayaking

Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 6/1/2016

Behind the Scenes Oregon Revealed Coastal Wonder

Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 6/1/2016

Episode 14

Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 6/3/2016

Episode 15

Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 6/6/2016

Episode 16

Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 6/8/2016

Behind the Scenes Unearthing the lost stories of Mt Saint Helens

Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/14/2024