Damian Fagan

Damian Fagan is a freelance writer, outdoor enthusiast and avid birder. He is the author of several wildflower field guides including "Wildflowers of Oregon" and "Wildflowers of North America." Fagan lives in Bend with his wife, Raven, and a pollinator-friendly garden.
Posted inCulture Features

Sunriver Fungi Fest & Mushroom Show Finds a  Home at SHARC

“Ex-spore” the fascinating world of fungi during Fungi Fest
by Damian Fagan

Those who have never explored the Fungi Fest & Mushroom Show in Sunriver will have an opportunity to enjoy this fungi extravaganza this year on Saturday, Oct. 17, but with a change of venue from previous years. “The Central Oregon Mushroom Club is thrilled that the festival is happening for our 10th year!” said Linda Gilpin, […]

Posted inOutside

Post-Fire Land Recovery with Native Seeds

Deschutes Basin Native Plant Seedbank offers expertise and native seeds to landowners impacted by wildfires
by Damian Fagan

After devastating wildfires spread across Central Oregon this year, it’s now the post-recovery period for landowners and land managers. Returning the landscape to pre-fire conditions, or better, requires much more than just spreading some seeds. “We’ve been a well-kept secret for 25 years,” said Berta Youtie, restoration ecologist with Eastern Oregon Stewardship Services and secretary/treasurer […]

Posted inNatural World

Get Involved: National Public Lands Day

“Together for Tomorrow” theme invites volunteers to give back to public lands
by Damian Fagan

National Public Lands Day takes on a great significance this year due to the Trump administration’s assault on public lands, endangered species and wild environments, and the release of several executive orders set to derail environmental legislation. Though this national day includes a variety of activities for volunteers to engage in – from trash cleanups […]

Posted inOutside

Go Clean Energy Conference Coming in September

Upcoming gathering covers solar power, EVs and other clean energy options
by Damian Fagan

It’s appropriate that the Go Clean Energy Conference, slated for Friday, Sept. 18, will be held at the OSU-Cascades Edward J. Ray Hall, because the building is a “North Star” for sustainability. In green building, “North Star” means prioritizing energy efficiency and incorporating sustainable principles in the phases of construction and operations. Hosted by 350 […]

Posted inOutside Features

Motus Comes to the Crooked River Wetlands

Recently installed antenna will be used to help solve the mystery of migration
by Damian Fagan

A newly installed Motus antenna in Prineville’s Crooked River Wetlands will help biologists and the general public better understand the migratory patterns of small wildlife species such as birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies. “Migration is a mystery in many ways,” said Kalysta “Kaly” Adkins, regional diversity biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. […]

Posted inNatural World

The Buzz on the Sunriver Wildflower and Pollinator Festival

The 35th annual event will showcase native plants, pollinators and habitats
by Damian Fagan

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Central Oregon Wildflower Show and Pollinator Festival, sponsored by the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory on June 27. This annual event highlights the beauty of native wildflowers and flowering shrubs, and their relationships with a diversity of pollinator species, and coincides with National Pollinator Week, June 22-28. […]

Posted inOutside Features

Know Your Home Waters

Upcoming lecture series to focus on Deschutes Watershed
by Damian Fagan

In their book, “On the Loose,” Terry and Renny Russell write, “One of the best-paying professions is getting ahold of pieces of country in your mind, learning their smell and their moods, sorting out the pieces of a view, deciding what grows there and there and why, how many steps that hill will take, where […]

Posted inOutside Features

The Iconic Osprey

Share your passion through OspreyWatch
by Damian Fagan

If the Seattle Seahawks lived up to their namesake, they would be known as the Seattle Osprey. Inspired by these magnificent birds of prey, the team unveiled their team sea hawk logo in 1976, which was a stylized inspiration paying homage to artwork of the Kwakwaka’wakw people who lived along the Pacific Northwest coast, primarily […]

Posted inNatural World

Winter Waterfowl Watching

Central Oregon has numerous options for winter birding
by Damian Fagan

As winter settles in to Central Oregon, rivers and managed wetlands offer excellent areas to view waterfowl. “Central Oregon is a great place to see a wide variety of winter waterfowl, including ducks, geese, swans and grebes,” said Duke Tufty, East Cascades Bird Alliance Birders’ Night coordinator. “We are lucky to have the Deschutes River […]

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