Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA)

Background and Activity

The Oregon Natural Desert Association was founded in 1987 amid debates over wilderness protections in the Steens Mountain area of southeastern Oregon. In the 1990s, the group opposed livestock grazing in the area and engaged in legal work to preserve the Wild and Scenic Owyhee River corridor. In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act, which extended permanent federal protections to a 1.6 million-acre area. In subsequent years, ONDA sued to prevent wind turbine construction in the area and challenged a proposal to allow the use of motorized equipment to cut down juniper trees in Wilderness Study Areas on Steens Mountain. ⁴

In 2006, the ODNA filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, alleging that the agency’s new plan for wilderness resources on the public land of Steens Mountain in Eastern Oregon near Frenchglen failed to comply with federal law. ⁵

The organization has also focused on restoration projects and habitat monitoring for greater sage grouse, partnering with federal agencies on some initiatives while litigating against others. The ONDA also developed the Oregon Desert Trail, a 522-mile backpacking route through high desert public lands, to promote public engagement with the region’s ecology. ³

The ONDA’s conservation campaigns oppose energy development and off-road vehicle use, including liquefied natural gas pipelines and motorized access in wilderness study areas. The group has long advocated for the area to be designated as a national monument. ⁴

In July 2025, the ODNA joined more than 500 left-of-center organizations in a letter condemning investigations by the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) into left-of-center organizations receiving federal grants for a variety of programs on topics including labor and immigration. ⁶

Funding

The Oregon Natural Desert Association received the bulk of its revenue from contributions, which accounted for 90 percent of its $2,062,883 in 2023 income. ⁷ Funders have included the Wilburforce Foundation, the Greater Hart-Sheldon Conservation Fund, the Rivian Foundation, Patagonia, Democracy’s Edge, Rewild, the Wilderness Society, the Wild Salmon Center, the Tortuga Foundation, and the Conservation Lands Foundation. ⁸

Leadership

Ryan Houston has been the executive director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association since 2018, having previously worked as the executive director of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council from 2001 to 2018. ^{9 10}