US Forest Service, Malheur NF, Prairie City Ranger District 2025 Grant Recipient - Owl Discovery: Owl Pellet Dissections

Owl pellet dissections for kids align perfectly with the mission and goals of the Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ORTWS). The ORTWS aims to inspire, empower, and enable wildlife professionals and students to promote science-based wildlife conservation and management.

Engaging kids in owl pellet dissections:
1. Inspires Interest in Wildlife: Kids get hands-on experience with wildlife, sparking curiosity and a deeper appreciation for nature.
2. Educates on Wildlife Biology: Students learn about the diet and hunting habits of owls, fostering an understanding of food webs and ecosystem dynamics.
3. Promotes Conservation Awareness: Understanding the role of predators like owls in the ecosystem can instill a sense of responsibility towards wildlife conservation.
4. Encourages Scientific Inquiry: Kids practice scientific methods by observing, hypothesizing, and drawing conclusions from their findings.

These activities help build a foundation for future wildlife professionals and conservationists, aligning with ORTWS's goal of promoting science-based conservation through education and community involvement

A full report will be submitted by October 15, 2025. 

Clackamas Community College, Environmental Learning Center 2025 Grant Recipient - Explore the Outdoors

The Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is located on the Oregon City campus of Clackamas Community College (CCC) and offers many opportunities for adults and children alike to explore and learn about the outdoors through hands-on environmental education. For some community members, the ELC is one of their first or most convenient opportunities to enjoy a natural space. Without our community, the ELC would not exist, as it was built and continues to be maintained by volunteers who share a love for the ELC and nature in general. Fostering our connection with the community and providing a variety of resources is a main driver for our work. The Explore the Outdoors event aims to further connect with community members to provide an accessible, inclusive and non-intimidating introduction to local wildlife and conservation.

The outdoors is for everyone, no matter their background or experience. This event will give community members the opportunity to learn from different wildlife professionals about a variety of topics and make lasting memories here at the ELC through hands-on activities. Connecting with community groups of all backgrounds, CCC students and CCC clubs will be an important part of making this event successful, as we hope to reach people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about local wildlife. We hope that this event will be a jumping off point for people to continue learning about and participating in wildlife conservation.

Project objectives are closely aligned with ORTWS’ mission of increasing public awareness and appreciation of wildlife through sharing sound ecological information about wildlife and related conservation efforts. ORTWS seeks to assist with community wildlife education, which is what this project sets out to do. Objectives include (1) sharing sound and accessible scientific information to community members of all ages and backgrounds, in a welcoming and non-intimidating way, (2) highlighting the importance of wildlife and conservation, and (3) providing community members with memorable, hands-on activities related to wildlife conservation. Explore the Outdoors will be a welcoming and accessible event for all community members to be introduced to wildlife and conservation efforts in our area.

A full report is available by October 15, 2025.  

OSU Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association 2025 Grant Recipient - Winter Wildlife Field Day

The Winter Wildlife Field Day project will include "Build Your Own Birdfeeder” and “Strawberry DNA Extraction”. In building a bird feeder, participants will use pinecones to build bird feeders and an online field guide to identify backyard birds. In the DNA extraction activity, participants will extract DNA from strawberries using provided kits. Some of these supplies will be reused from previous years events, and some consumables will need to be purchased again.

The objectives of these activities are for participants to 1) develop stronger connections to Oregon wildlife and the natural resources community; 2) emphasize the importance of conserving habitat and wildlife; 3) identify common bird species; 4) conduct the scientific method; and 4) visualize DNA - the building blocks of all life forms on Earth.

These activities align and advance the Oregon Chapter of the Wildlife Society’s mission of “promoting wise conservation and management of wildlife resources in Oregon” by exposing the public to wildlife science. Participants of all ages are welcome to attend the WWFD. Further, this event promotes the Chapters goals of diversity and inclusion because it makes a deliberate effort to better serve more people by offering instructions and materials in Spanish and English, and providing all materials free of charge. We have been able to provide these materials to hundreds of families each year in the community during past events. To further advance the dimension of diversity, FWGSA also invited OSU students across departments to assist field stations in order to represent the interdisciplinary nature of conservation to future generations.

A full report is available by October 15, 2025.  

High Desert Museum 2025 Grant Recipient - Nature in Focus: A Rural Community Science Initiative

Rural communities hold significant knowledge about local wildlife that is vital for effective monitoring and conservation efforts. However, rural communities in Central Oregon are home to a high percentage of low-income families who face significant barriers to participating in wildlife-related community science initiatives. In 2025, the High Desert Museum will host two free family workshops designed to empower twenty rural and underserved families (approximately 60 individuals) to engage in meaningful wildlife education while contributing to community science and conservation efforts. This program directly supports the mission of the Oregon Chapter of the Wildlife Society by enabling historically underrepresented communities to participate in science-based wildlife conservation and management alongside wildlife professionals.

Building on the success of prior programming in rural communities, including a National Science Foundation research study, Nature in Focus will promote sustained engagement in responsible wildlife watching and conservation among families who have traditionally faced barriers to these experiences. Over the course of a full day, each of the two workshops will engage 10 families with children aged seven and up in a range of hands-on activities from connecting with local wildlife professionals to learning to operate trail cameras for wildlife monitoring. For example, families will have the opportunity to connect with wildlife biologist Alysia Wolf, originally from Prineville, to hear about her journey and learn how rural knowledge plays a vital role in conservation. This personal connection will help bridge the gap between scientists and residents, highlighting the value of community input in preserving local wildlife. Workshops will also include close encounters with wildlife at the Museum and activities like telemetry, which will enhance participants’ skills and knowledge.

Educational experiences will highlight a variety of priority species, such as the Sierra Nevada red fox, mule deer, and porcupine, and families will gain valuable insights into local and statewide conservation initiatives. To empower families to actively contribute to these conservation efforts, each family will learn how to set up trail cameras to document wildlife in their backyards and to upload images to the Museum’s Naturalist page, and ongoing access to trail camera kits will be available for families at area libraries. By engaging in wildlife monitoring from their own homes, families will meaningfully contribute to statewide conservation efforts and empower them to make informed decisions about their local environment.

A full report is available by October 15, 2025.