Oregon Field Guide

John Hartog heads into the countryside not with a camera, but with a microphone to capture the beautiful natural soundscapes of Oregon; Dory Builders: Meet the makers behind these unique fishing boats that make a splash whenever they land on the beaches of Pacific City; Frankie Dugal, Master Mecate Maker, carries on a ropemaking tradition with roots over a hundred years old in the Jordan Valley.

Meet Acosia Red Elk. She is a well known, world champion powwow jingle dancer. There is myth and mystery lurking in the glimmer of Oregon’s state gemstone; Take a moment along the shores of the Wilson River.

Kailey Kornhauser and Marley Blonsky are on a mission to welcome everybody to the cycling world; Despite their unappealing name, Slime Molds, these one-cell wonders have been fascinating (and baffling) scientists for centuries; Enjoy a photo essay made for the love of lava by Oregon Field Guide photographer Michael Bendixen.

A beautiful tour of the stunning Jordan Craters and Leslie Gulch as we learn more about the wonders of Oregon geology; When Bill Wallauer joined the Peace Corps in 1989 and befriended renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, his life changed forever; Portlander Kevin Coulton is on a crusade to bring awareness to oil runoff through photography, one drip at a time.

We look at the role beavers play in preventing and protecting from wildfires; When a near-fatal stroke left avid outdoorsman Geoff Babb in a wheelchair, he got inventive. He compensated for the loss of strength in his limbs by coming up with a wheelchair rugged enough to get him back out onto the trails; Photographer Michael Bendixen takes us to one of the wildest coastlines in America.

We return to the site of recent wildfires to find a reason to hope; At first glance, it’s just a fox. But this fox has outfoxed even the best researchers; Portland mountain bikers have a new trail to enjoy close to home in the Tillamook State Forest; Fort Creek Photo Essay.

Field Guide follows bar pilots as they encounter crashing surf, unpredictable currents and fierce winds of the infamous Columbia River Bar—a gauntlet that has killed nearly 2,000 men and sunk 700 vessels since record-keeping began; The annual invasive species cook-off challenges everyday people to turn invasive plants and animals into tasty dishes.

A look at efforts underway in the Klamath Basin to save the Short Nosed and Lost River suckers; We meet big, beautiful birds of prey at a Eugene center focused on education and rehabilitation; A picturesque gristmill in southwest Washington state revives the joys of nostalgic traditions, cider pressing. It's powered by the water of Cedar Creek.

One year after the Beachie Creek wildfire burned through the Opal Creek wilderness, Oregon Field Guide takes a rare tour of this ancient forest to see how it's changed; Forget drones and eDNA, one of the most powerful tools in field research is man's best friend. Rogue Dogs trains shelter dogs to sniff out everything from cougar scat to grape viruses in order to help scientists around the world.

Northwest scientists are using ancient trees to uncover the seismic history of the region. Anyone who's been to a ski resort, knows that the folks in red jackets are looking out for your safety. At Mount Bachelor, there's a special unit dedicated just to avalanche rescue--and the training starts young! Wood River Photo Essay.