Learn about beavers, volcanoes and more in ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series

Published 3:45 pm Thursday, January 22, 2026

Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series kicks off at 7 p.m. Tuesday with a lecture on one of the species on the frontline of the battle against climate change.

No, it’s not humans.

It’s beavers.

In “Brilliant Beavers: Cultivating Climate Resilience,” Emily Fairfax, Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota and beaver researcher, will share how the lumberjack of a semi-aquatic mammal helps other wildlife adapt and keeps ecosystems thriving in a changing climate.

You won’t have to go out to a beaver lodge or lecture hall to learn the toothy truth. You don’t even have to leave your own home, nor will it cost you anything more. The event, as well as the other two lectures in the series, is being presented online, for free.

Fairfax’s work has been featured in National Geographic, NPR and The New York Times. She combines remote sensing, modeling and field work to understand how beavers engineer drought and fire-resistant patches in the landscape under a changing climate, according to ONDA, whose riparian restoration manager, Jefferson Jacobs, will join to share how the organization’s stream restoration work is grounded in creating beaver habitat for the health of the entire ecosystem.

Learn about the ways volcanic forces shaped Eastern Oregon’s striking geology in “Forged in Fire” Feb. 11. (Ellen Bishop/Submitted photo)

Not far around the corner, you can warm up for Valentine’s Day by learning about volcanoes in “Forged in Fire: The Volcanic Activity that Shaped Oregon’s High Desert” at 7 p.m. Feb. 11. That’s when Ellen Bishop, author, photographer and geologist, will discuss a recent geological discovery linking the formation of Oregon’s High Desert rock formations with the Yellowstone hotspot. You’ll learn more about how such High Desert landmarks Steens Mountain, the Owyhee Canyonlands and many others came to be in a photography-rich and visually engaging presentation.

Finally, at 7 p.m. March 11, Diane Teeman, an anthropologist, archaeologist, scholar and tribal elder of the of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes, will discuss her work and share the history and culture of her family in “A Tribal Family History of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes.” She’ll also highlight the connection between cultural traditions and environmental conservation within the Tribe. ONDA Executive Director Ryan Houston will briefly discuss the steps ONDA is taking to conserve the Oregon desert in partnership with local tribes.

“ONDA is excited to share new perspectives on the High Desert,” Claire Cekander, ONDA’s donor relations manager, said in a press release. “Whether you’ve been a desert-enthusiast for decades or are just curious about this remarkable place, these talks will expand your knowledge and connection to Oregon’s dry side.”