When it comes to wildlife conservation, there is power in partnership. That spirit was on full display during the 2025 All Hands, All Brands for Your Public Lands event in the heart of Oregon’s Ochoco National Forest. Agency professionals, outdoor organizations and families gathered for a weekend of conservation and community.
Now in its sixth year, All Hands, All Brands embodies the strength of collaboration and community-driven conservation. Hosted this year by the Oregon State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, the 2025 event brought together nearly 90 people — the biggest turnout yet.
“All Hands, All Brands is a partnership with the Blue Mountain Elk Initiative, the longest running initiative in the United States, and this event was put together by the U.S. Forest Service to utilize the strengths of different brands,” said Chris Henry, Oregon NWTF State Chapter president. “The purpose is to get all these groups together and utilize the power of partnership to restore this beautiful habitat that we have here in the Blue Mountains.”
This event brings together agencies, non-governmental organizations and volunteers across the state to work together to achieve similar goals for conservation. Building off the work from the past two years, this year’s project focused on building and repairing beaver dam analogs (BDAs) along Gray Prairie, a stunning wet meadow within the Ochoco National Forest. These structures — built by hand using juniper, willow and sedge mats — mimic the ecological function of natural beaver dams. The goal is to slow the stream, retain moisture in the soil, create cooler, deeper pools that support a wide range of wildlife and mimic the work of a beaver — nature’s original wetland architect.
With chest waders strapped on and tools in hand, volunteers formed small teams and tackled sites along the creek. The results of their labor were immediate: as the BDAs went up, water levels rose behind them, slowly seeping across the meadow to rehydrate parched soils.
“The All Hands, All Brands event has been around for six years now, and it has really given the volunteers ownership in conservation,” said Monty Gregg, forest wildlife biologist on the Ochoco National Forest. “What’s good for elk is also good for turkeys, is also good for mule deer, and so we’ve got this spectrum of partners here doing work here in Gray Prairie, one of the many of the interconnected wet meadows in the Ochocos, doing work that will recruit beavers into these systems to naturally maintain them in the long term and rewetting these meadows so they provide great forbs and browsing for turkeys and other wildlife.”
When the meadows stay wet longer, insects thrive, forbs flourish, and wildlife benefits across the board — including redband trout, mule deer, elk and, of course, wild turkeys. The restored wet meadow habitat provides food, shelter and nesting opportunities, and the wetland forbs and grasses that flourish in these conditions are particularly important for brooding wild turkey hens and their poults in the spring.
While the conservation impact is tangible, the heart of All Hands, All Brands, lies in its community spirit. The event is open to all — from seasoned biologists to first-time volunteers, families with children and even a few dogs. No prior experience is required, just a willingness to get your hands dirty for a cause that matters.
“It’s really rewarding to be here with all of these partners who care about the Ochocos working for the greater good,” said Mikal Cline, upland game bird coordinator for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
After a full day of habitat work, attendees reconvened at camp to relax, share a potluck meal, enjoy music and take part in a free raffle. Each partner organization took a moment to share why they come back, year after year, to keep building momentum.
This year’s event was made possible by a broad coalition of partners, including the National Wild Turkey Federation, Oregon Hunters Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service and the Mule Deer Foundation.
Together, these organizations and individuals are building something lasting. And as the water flows through Gray Prairie, so does a renewed sense of connection: to the land, to wildlife and to one another. Because when it comes to conservation, all hands and all brands truly make light work.
Read the full article here
