Think Out Loud

First Schnitzer Prize of the West awarded to Native American leader of restoration project on Idaho, Utah border

THIS SATURDAY, THE INAUGURAL SCHNITZER PRIZE OF THE WEST [https://highdesertmuseum.org/schnitzer-prize/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23586169430&gbraid=0AAAABC7jD6uCB_d4WbT_KQfZfgzfsJ5Rr&gclid=CjwKCAjwn4vQBhBsEiwAq3hhN1fnyDcyXjnOhmtvMQhz7kmu6D4Rq-2VLKK6BpLwjonQ-gPTLTxZ6xoCRZQQAvD_BwE] WILL BE AWARDED TO BRAD PARRY, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHWESTERN BAND OF THE SHOSHONE NATION, AT A CEREMONY AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM. PARRY WAS ONE OF NEARLY 100 PEOPLE FROM 12 STATES NOMINATED FOR THE NEW AWARD, WHICH INCLUDES $50,000 AND WILL BE GIVEN ANNUALLY BY THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM IN BEND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JORDAN D. SCHNITZER AND THE HAROLD & ARLENE SCHNITZER CARE FOUNDATION.    PARRY IS RECEIVING THE AWARD BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP OF THE WUDA OGWA CULTURAL AND LAND RESTORATION PROJECT [https://nwbshoshone.com/wudaogwa/], LOCATED ON THE SITE OF THE WORST MASSACRE OF NATIVE AMERICANS BY THE U.S. MILITARY. IN 1863, A U.S. ARMY COLONEL LED AN ATTACK ON A CAMPSITE NEAR THE BEAR RIVER ON THE IDAHO AND UTAH BORDER WHERE THE ANCESTORS OF THE NORTHWESTERN SHOSHONE WOULD GATHER IN THE WINTER. AN ESTIMATED 400 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED, INCLUDING DOZENS OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND INFANTS [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/search-site-worst-indian-massacre-us-history-180959091/].    IN 2018, THE NORTHWESTERN SHOSHONE PURCHASED THE 350-ACRE PROPERTY FROM PRIVATE OWNERS AND BEGAN THE PAINSTAKING PROCESS OF RESTORING THE SITE TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE THE MASSACRE. THAT INCLUDES REPLACING ROUGHLY 400,000 INVASIVE RUSSIAN OLIVE TREES WITH WILLOWS AND NATIVE PLANTS; CREATING 15 ACRES OF WETLANDS; BRINGING BACK BEAVERS, TROUT AND OTHER NATIVE WILDLIFE; AND RESTORING A TRIBUTARY OF THE BEAR RIVER TO SEND AN EXPECTED 10,000 ACRE-FEET OF WATER ANNUALLY TO THE GREAT SALT LAKE.     PARRY JOINS US TO SHARE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WINNING THIS AWARD AND THE LESSONS HE’S LEARNED THAT COULD APPLY TO OTHER CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THE WEST.

Mining operation could be coming to Baker County

A mining operation that will create close to 100 jobs and cost upwards of $60 million to build could be coming to Baker County. As first reporter in the Baker City Herald, Sumpter Development LLC is planning to reopen four historic mines near Bourne. The company is currently meeting with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to see if it can get permission and permits from the state agency to use the mines. Jayson Jacoby is the editor of the publication and reported on this story. He joins us to share more.

Evaluating wildfire risk in Oregon and Washington

WILDFIRE MANAGERS AND POLICY MAKERS IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON OFTEN EVALUATE A COMMUNITY’S WILDFIRE RISK BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS THE PROBABILITY OF WILDFIRE EXPOSURE OR THE NUMBER OF THREATENED HOMES AND BUILDINGS. THEY CAN ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A COMMUNITY’S SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, OR A SET OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS THAT INCLUDES HOUSEHOLD INCOME, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY STATUS.   FOR THE FIRST TIME, RESEARCHERS AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY HAVE CREATED A TOOL THAT INTEGRATES BOTH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY AND WILDFIRE HAZARD MEASUREMENTS TO HELP INFORM THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES NEEDED TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK. THE STUDY [https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae5993]FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MORE THAN 450 COMMUNITIES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON FACE INCREASED WILDFIRE RISK WHEN THEIR SOCIAL VULNERABILITY WAS INCLUDED IN RISK ASSESSMENTS. COMMUNITIES SUCH AS WARM SPRINGS IN CENTRAL OREGON AND MOSIER IN THE COLUMBIA GORGE WITH HIGH LEVELS OF SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, HOME HARDENING OR FUELS REDUCTION PROGRAMS.    JOINING US FOR MORE DETAILS ARE ANDY MCEVOY, A FACULTY RESEARCH ASSISTANT IN THE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY AT OSU.

DA races in Oregon go uncontested for the first time in decades

ELECTION DAY IN OREGON IS NEXT WEEK. OREGONIANS MUST SUBMIT THEIR BALLOTS BY TUESDAY, MAY 19TH [https://www.opb.org/elections-2026/]. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MEASURES AND CANDIDATES RUNNING IN LOCAL AND STATEWIDE ELECTIONS, BUT AS REPORTED IN BOLTS [https://boltsmag.org/oregon-uncontested-da-elections/], NOT A SINGLE DISTRICT ATTORNEY RACE IS BEING CONTESTED. OREGONIANS WILL ONLY HAVE ONE OPTION IN DETERMINING WHO WILL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN HOW CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS HANDLED IN THE STATE.   DANIEL NICHANIAN IS THE FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF BOLTS. HE JOINS US TO SHARE MORE ON WHY MANY INCUMBENTS AROUND THE STATE AREN’T BEING CHALLENGED AND WHAT WE LOSE AS VOTERS WHEN RACES GO UNCONTESTED.

Former timber town in rural Oregon faces extreme debt

A SERIES OF CASCADING PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT, INDUSTRY FAILURES AND QUESTIONABLE CITY CONTRACTS HAVE PUSHED LAKEVIEW, OREGON INTO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT IT CAN’T PAY OFF. LIKE MANY FORMER TIMBER TOWNS, LAKEVIEW HAS STRUGGLED TO REBOUND FROM THE COLLAPSE OF THE LOGGING MILLS THAT ONCE POWERED ITS ECONOMY AND HELPED THE COMMUNITY SURVIVE IN AN ISOLATED CORNER OF SOUTHERN OREGON. OPB REPORTER BRYCE DOLE JOINS US TO EXPLAIN HOW LAKEVIEW GOT INTO THIS PREDICAMENT, AND WHAT RESIDENTS ARE TRYING TO DO TO GET OUT OF IT.