Climate Change

Oregon Season Tracker engages community to advance climate science

The Oregon Season Tracker program, coordinated by Oregon State University Extension, has engaged hundreds of volunteers across Oregon to collect critical environmental data on precipitation and plant phenology. By installing standardized ...

May 2025 | Impact Story

OSU develops first-of-its-kind water stress index for hazelnut trees

Heat and drought stress are having several significant impacts on hazelnut growers in during the dry summer in Western Oregon. Increasingly hot and dry conditions are making water management more challenging. Hazelnut trees are ...

Apr 2025 | Impact Story

OSU initiative supports farmers facing climate change stress and grief

A growing body of literature documents the mental health impacts of climate change on the general population, but there is little focus on agricultural populations in the United States — even though farmers may be ...

Feb 2025 | Impact Story

OSU research vital for Oregon's nursery industry success

The nursery and greenhouse industry is the most valuable agricultural commodity in Oregon. A national leader, Oregon is the third largest nursery producing state in the United States. This prominent position is due to the state's...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU Extension trials lead to better yields and grape quality in Umatilla County

The Walla Walla Valley experiences the most extreme climatic conditions among Oregon’s wine regions. While production systems have adapted over time, climate change has led to more unpredictable and intense weather. These shifting ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU study identifies causes of Douglas-fir decline in southwest Oregon

Douglas-fir is one of the world’s most economically important tree species. In southwest Oregon, it is the dominant tree in many low- to mid-elevation forests. Douglas-fir provides critical wildlife habitat, stores carbon and ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU study identifies optimal forest management practices for carbon sequestration

Forest managers in the Pacific Northwest face the challenge of balancing timber harvests with maximizing carbon storage. Carbon stored in forests helps offset climate change — U.S. forests absorb about 13% of the country’s ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU Extension trials expand drought-tolerant plant options for Oregon’s nursery industry

As climate change transforms the weather in Western Oregon, more nursery owners, landscapers and home gardeners are looking for plants that are fully drought tolerant and cold hardy. Development of genuinely low-input landscapes will...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

Wildfire campaign boosts preparedness in Central Oregon

In Central Oregon, wildfire ignitions have increased as more people recreate in local forests, build campfires, burn debris, and use equipment to manage their properties. Combined with a century of fire suppression and a changing ...

Mar 2024 | Impact Story

Helping Klamath gardeners save water with lawns and irrigation solutions

Outdoor water use in Klamath County has been restricted for several years, raising concerns about the viability of traditional lawns and the inefficiency of older irrigation systems. Local homeowners noted that irrigation companies ...

Mar 2024 | Impact Story