Oregon Field Guide
Encyclopedia
Oregon Field Guide is a weekly television
program produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting
focusing on recreation, the outdoors, and environmental issues in the state of Oregon
. Part of the Oregon zeitgeist
, it is produced and hosted by Steve Amen. Named for the field guide
s used to identify plants, animals, and natural phenomenon, the wide-ranging series covers Oregon natural history
, outdoor recreation
, conservation
, agriculture
, rural life, and other local subjects. Produced with deep narratives rather than short segments, 13 half-hour and one full hour episodes are shown per year.
. It first aired in 1990 with the impact of drift netting for tuna on dolphins, The show was kept during major state budget cuts in 2003 that affected OPB. In that year, the show budget was $300,000, with about 60% from two corporate sponsors and funds collected through pledges.
The show was narrated and produced by Jim Newman for 20 years. Newman produced over 250 Oregon Field Guide segments, and was brought on when Steve Amen got the greenlight
on the series. Amen who was born in Wyoming in 1952 and attended Portland State University
, receiving a degree in photography. Amen produced an award-winning Frontline episode, titled "To The Last Fish", in 1991, and has had three hip replacements since the show began.
While the show has been very popular, it was on the bubble for the first few seasons, and its form was compared to PM Magazine
. The show had a 6.1 rating in the Portland market in 1994, receiving a 9 share, meaning reruns of the show beat primetime programming from the commercial stations. In 1995, the 10% rating share of Oregon Field Guide was the highest of any locally-produced PBS show in the nation, and The Oregonian
called it "the crown jewel in OPB's otherwise lackluster record of locally produced programming." In 1998, the show was the most-watched local TV series in the PBS
system.
Award. The award was for their long-term coverage of the Marmot Dam removal, and the award recognized the show:
The show has won eight Regional Emmys. One was in 1995 for the "outstanding informational series/magazine short format division", and another in the "best public affairs special" in 1998 for their one-hour special titled "Willamette
Water Quality".
It also received two Golden Eagle awards from the Council on International Nontheatrical Events in 1994: one for an hourlong report on "Cleaning Up Hanford", and the other for "Abuses of the 1872 Mining Law". The latter report also received an honorable mention in the Public Affairs category of the Pacific Mountain Network's Best of the West awards in that year.
, titled "Ecological Mysteries of Spirit Lake". It showed the rebirth of the lake after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
.
The unfiltered and pure water of the Bull Run
watershed, has been featured in two seasons. It has also covered near-extinct bighorn sheep
and mountain unicycling
, and how Estacada High School
students used Cycle Oregon
's visit to raise funds for their school.
in the state, finished with an Oregon Field Guide special in April 2008, produced and written by Ed Jahn. It was funded by the Oregon Sea Grant, based at Oregon State University
. The ultimate goal of the special was to serve as a wake-up call about invasive species and to inspire citizens to take action. Species documented included Scotch broom, Japanese eelgrass
, Yellow star thistle, Spartina, and Quagga mussel
s.
The special won a silver baton level Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2009. The award jury was "struck by the boldness and courage of OPB to attack such issues and then to put resources against it." It also received three Regional Emmys.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
program produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of Oregon as well as southern Washington. With its headquarters and television studios in Portland, OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over...
focusing on recreation, the outdoors, and environmental issues in the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Part of the Oregon zeitgeist
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist is "the spirit of the times" or "the spirit of the age."Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.The...
, it is produced and hosted by Steve Amen. Named for the field guide
Field guide
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife or other objects of natural occurrence . It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects...
s used to identify plants, animals, and natural phenomenon, the wide-ranging series covers Oregon natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity is leisure pursuits engaged in outside, especially in natural or semi-natural settings out of town...
, conservation
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, rural life, and other local subjects. Produced with deep narratives rather than short segments, 13 half-hour and one full hour episodes are shown per year.
History
Oregon Field Guide started as a partnership between Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and the Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeOregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for programs protecting Oregon fish and wildlife resources and their habitats....
. It first aired in 1990 with the impact of drift netting for tuna on dolphins, The show was kept during major state budget cuts in 2003 that affected OPB. In that year, the show budget was $300,000, with about 60% from two corporate sponsors and funds collected through pledges.
The show was narrated and produced by Jim Newman for 20 years. Newman produced over 250 Oregon Field Guide segments, and was brought on when Steve Amen got the greenlight
Greenlight
To green-light a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to green-light something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to...
on the series. Amen who was born in Wyoming in 1952 and attended Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, receiving a degree in photography. Amen produced an award-winning Frontline episode, titled "To The Last Fish", in 1991, and has had three hip replacements since the show began.
While the show has been very popular, it was on the bubble for the first few seasons, and its form was compared to PM Magazine
PM Magazine
PM/Evening Magazine was a television series with a news and entertainment format. It was syndicated to stations throughout the United States...
. The show had a 6.1 rating in the Portland market in 1994, receiving a 9 share, meaning reruns of the show beat primetime programming from the commercial stations. In 1995, the 10% rating share of Oregon Field Guide was the highest of any locally-produced PBS show in the nation, and The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
called it "the crown jewel in OPB's otherwise lackluster record of locally produced programming." In 1998, the show was the most-watched local TV series in the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
system.
Awards
The show received third place in "Outstanding Beat/In-Depth Reporting, Television" for a Society of Environmental JournalistsSociety of Environmental Journalists
The Society of Environmental Journalists is a non-profit created by and for journalists who report environmental topics in the news media. The mission of the Society of Environmental Journalists is to strengthen the quality, reach and viability of journalism across all media to advance public...
Award. The award was for their long-term coverage of the Marmot Dam removal, and the award recognized the show:
The show has won eight Regional Emmys. One was in 1995 for the "outstanding informational series/magazine short format division", and another in the "best public affairs special" in 1998 for their one-hour special titled "Willamette
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
Water Quality".
It also received two Golden Eagle awards from the Council on International Nontheatrical Events in 1994: one for an hourlong report on "Cleaning Up Hanford", and the other for "Abuses of the 1872 Mining Law". The latter report also received an honorable mention in the Public Affairs category of the Pacific Mountain Network's Best of the West awards in that year.
Notable segments
Oregon Field Guide has filmed while diving in Spirit LakeSpirit Lake (Washington)
Spirit Lake is a lake north of Mount St. Helens in Washington State. The lake was a popular tourist destination for many years until the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. With the eruption and resulting megatsunami, thousands of trees were torn from the surrounding hillside after lake water was...
, titled "Ecological Mysteries of Spirit Lake". It showed the rebirth of the lake after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, a stratovolcano located in Washington state, in the United States, was a major volcanic eruption. The eruption was the only significant one to occur in the contiguous 48 U.S. states since the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in California...
.
The unfiltered and pure water of the Bull Run
Bull Run River (Oregon)
The Bull Run River is a tributary of the Sandy River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Beginning at the lower end of Bull Run Lake in the Cascade Range, it flows generally west through the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit , a restricted area meant to protect the river and its tributaries from...
watershed, has been featured in two seasons. It has also covered near-extinct bighorn sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
and mountain unicycling
Mountain unicycling
Mountain unicycling is an emerging adventure sport that consists of traversing rough terrain on a unicycle. Mountain unicycling can be done on the same terrain as a mountain bike. However, unicycles typically lack a gear system , preventing the user from coasting or reaching high speeds...
, and how Estacada High School
Estacada High School
Estacada High School is a public high school in Estacada, Oregon, United States.-History:Estacada High School began in 1905 when grade 9 and 10 classes were first taught in the Estacada Grade School, a small building on the west side of Main Street, across from the site of the current elementary...
students used Cycle Oregon
Cycle Oregon
Cycle Oregon is a week-long recreational bicycle ride held annually in different parts of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is also the name of a non-profit corporation established in 1991 to manage the event...
's visit to raise funds for their school.
The Silent Invasion
"The Silent Invasion", a year-long Oregon Invasive Species Council campaign studying the threats posed by invasive speciesInvasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in the state, finished with an Oregon Field Guide special in April 2008, produced and written by Ed Jahn. It was funded by the Oregon Sea Grant, based at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. The ultimate goal of the special was to serve as a wake-up call about invasive species and to inspire citizens to take action. Species documented included Scotch broom, Japanese eelgrass
Vallisneria
Vallisneria is a genus of freshwater aquatic plant, commonly called eelgrass, tape grass or vallis. The genus has 6-10 species that are widely distributed, but do not grow in colder regions....
, Yellow star thistle, Spartina, and Quagga mussel
Quagga mussel
The quagga mussel is a subspecies of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk.It is one of seven Dreissena species and has an average life span of 3 to 5 years....
s.
The special won a silver baton level Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2009. The award jury was "struck by the boldness and courage of OPB to attack such issues and then to put resources against it." It also received three Regional Emmys.