This year was a big one for OPB’s Science and Environment Team members, who collectively produce “Oregon Field Guide” and “All Science. No Fiction.” We said goodbye to our longtime executive editor, Ed Jahn, and we welcomed back former producer Aaron Scott to take his place and new cinematographers Evan Rodriguez and Eden McCall.

We produced two 30-minute specials about one of the region’s biggest environmental stories: the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. The first, “Klamath: After the Dams,” told the story of the dam removal project and the river’s early recovery. The second, “First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath,” followed a group of Indigenous youth as they kayaked the river from source to sea.

We also introduced a new experiment called “OPB’s Slow TV,” where our cinematographers film scenic journeys through some of the region’s most beautiful landscapes in 4K video. For these stories, we’ve captured super high-definition footage of enchanting Northwest experiences, such as riding a barge up the Columbia River Gorge or riding a railroad speeder car through Hood River orchards on the way to Mount Hood.

As the year draws to a close, we want to share some of our favorite stories with you and pull back the curtain on what it took to film them.

And if you have ideas for stories you want to see from our team, email us at [email protected].

First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath

Jessie Sears, producer: “As a Karuk tribal member, getting to produce ‘First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath’ was a dream come true for me.

“One of the most memorable days was filming the kayakers paddling through the dam sites, specifically where Iron Gate Dam once stood. On the morning of June 22, I stumbled into the raft with a camera and drone in hand under a large, uncomfortable life vest. Hours later, we swiftly made our way through Iron Gate’s former site. At first, I didn’t recognize where I was. Having been on top of the dam a few years prior, I realized everything looked different, and that was the beauty of it. You almost couldn’t tell that a dam was there not long ago.

“The kayakers all around me were celebrating, as I tried to focus on getting the drone shot while smiling ear to ear. The chants and hollers of the kayakers echoed between the two tall rocks on either side of the river, and I still hear them today. ”

Brandon Swanson, cinematographer and editor: “The highlight of the year for me working on ‘Oregon Field Guide’ was getting the opportunity to float along with the Indigenous kayakers who made the first descent of the Klamath River after dam removal.

“It was great to film that month-long celebration of those kids and of the people who fought for dam removal. And it was exciting to edit the footage into a half-hour documentary about their trip.”

Evan Rodriguez, cinematographer: “Showing up to the mouth of the Klamath River for the final day of filming for ‘First Descent’ was one of the most emotional and inspiring days of my career as a filmmaker.

“I failed to hold back tears as these incredible teens were reunited with their families after a month of paddling down a river that their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents fought to un-dam so that it may run wild again.”

How Oregon is powering the future with wave energy

Jes Burns, host and producer: “This episode of ‘All Science. No Fiction’ about wave energy showcases an OPB superpower: the ability to film pieces of a story as it unfolds over the course of years — something other media organizations in the Pacific Northwest aren’t built to do.

“I’ve been reporting on the PacWave project since 2018. OPB cinematographer Brandon Swanson and I filmed the directional drilling scene near the top of this episode in 2021 — a side quest during a trip to film agrovoltaics research in Corvallis for one of the first episodes of ASNF. We filmed more pieces of the project in between other stories (like sugarforks and wearable tech) before bringing it all together last spring.

“This ability to follow a story as it unfolds over time is something OPB can do because of our public media funding model (that is, because of members like you) and a storytelling ethos that prioritizes quality over quantity. We make things that last — that you can revisit years from now and still learn something new. And even if you don’t learn something new, you can always just be delighted by the melding of renewable energy and synchronized swimmers. Where else would you get something quite like it?"

The giant pumpkin paddle: A record-breaking journey down the Columbia River

Noah Thomas, producer: “One standout story was covering Gary Kristensen’s record-breaking pumpkin paddle. I initially set out to cover giant pumpkin growers, but everything changed when I heard Gary planned to grow a pumpkin in the middle of winter and paddle it 130 miles down the Columbia. The previous paddling record was 46 miles, which Gary had set himself.

“It was a massive risk — most pumpkins can’t survive the cold, let alone serve as a boat for a multi-day voyage. From the beginning, it was a total faith-based operation. Luckily, the pumpkin not only lasted through the winter, it made a solid vessel. Gary didn’t reach the 130-mile mark, but he beat his own record by paddling 58 miles. It was an incredible experience to document the whole process, watching the pumpkin go from a January seedling to a river-worthy boat in March.”

Scientists use magnetic heat to cook and destroy tumors

Brooke Herbert, cinematographer and editor: “This was a special project to work on with Jes Burns, who is an incredibly creative person and excellent collaborator. I was in awe of the brilliant scientists, who are studying non-invasive ways to treat cancer and endometriosis.

“As a person with Stage 4 endometriosis, it really hit close to home and made the video that much more special — I think I even got teary-eyed in one of the interviews as the scientists talked about their groundbreaking research. Jes and I also got to record a live podcast at the Tomorrow Theatre about this episode, and the giant Papier-mâché uterus even made an appearance!"

Ranchers helped keep sage grouse off the endangered list. Now, mining poses a new threat

Cassandra Profita, producer: “Filming sage grouse on their mating leks in southeast Oregon was the highlight of the year for me. Cameron and I slept in ranch bunkhouses to cut down on travel time to the sage grouse mating sites, but we still had to be on the road at 4 am to make sure we got to film the birds in action.

“It was bitterly cold inside the blinds we used to avoid disturbing the birds, and we had to stay quiet and still the whole time. But watching the sun rise over the sagebrush sea with sage grouse performing their mating dance right in front of us was truly awesome.”

Cameron Nielsen, cinematographer and editor: “In the blind, the birds were over a hundred yards away, so I needed to use a long lens to capture the sage grouse properly. Watching through my viewfinder, I focused in on the mating ritual. Males showed off to the females, puffing out their chest and tail feathers. The snow sprinkled down on the birds and the bird blind we were inhabiting. Occasionally, I needed to warm my hands up between shots, but quickly returned to filming as the dance was mesmerizing to capture. Anticipating the birds’ next action became a meditative practice. Truly an experience I will never forget.”

5 years after Oregon’s Labor Day Fires, scientists find surprises in burned forest streams

Evan Rodriguez, cinematographer: “Filming the Labor Day Fire Recovery story alongside Jes Burns took me through waves of emotions. First: utter dismay at being surrounded by the ruins of what was once a thriving forest that now looked like hillside after hillside of burnt matchsticks.

“Second: hopeful after capturing the biologists’ process of using fish observations to measure the health and recovery of the Santiam River. Third: sweet relief after taking an unintended dunk in my chest-high waders while trying to traverse slippery boulders and not drop the camera. Normally not a good thing, but during a 100+ degree heatwave, it was a welcome feeling to have ice cold river water coalesce in my waders, and so I left the Santiam with my camera and dignity still intact.”

The Oregon Country Fair’s once fringy ideas about conservation are now part of the mainstream

Jule Gilfillan, producer: “I think my favorite story this year was the one about the land stewardship practices of the Oregon Country Fair. Documenting the time, work and intention behind keeping the fair site healthy for 50-some years was not only eye-opening, but inspiring.

“Recycling crew coordinator Amy Hand may have said it best: ‘Yeah, we might be a bunch of hippies hanging out in the forest, but the organization and our volunteers walk their talk in a lot of ways.’ That fidelity to the fair’s ethos impressed me deeply and feels like something we can all benefit from.”

Oregon Donkey Sanctuary provides a refuge for donkeys and humans alike

Lisa Suinn Kallem, editor: “One of my favorite Oregon Field Guide stories to edit was the Oregon Donkey Sanctuary. The love Rhonda, Jim and the volunteers have for the donkeys is endearing and gives me hope: Not all is lost if there are people and places like this in the world.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/30/best-stories-2025-oregon-field-guide-all-science-no-fiction/