State House District 2

Postfire survey tools help landowners restore forests after wildfire

Severe wildfires have affected more than 6,000 landowners in Oregon since 2020, and postfire restoration on private, nonindustrial forestlands has been uneven statewide. To better understand what helps landowners restore their ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU study helps hemp growers save water without sacrificing CBD yield

Floral hemp production expanded rapidly after the 2018 federal farm bill, but practical production guidelines have lagged, especially in semi-arid regions where water is limited and irrigation costs are rising. Many growers assumed ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU Extension meets growing demand for safe home food preservation

Nearly all U.S. households use some form of food preservation to extend the shelf life of perishable foods, stretch food budgets and prevent waste. A 2024 nationwide survey found that 49% of households preserved food through ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU study shows wildfire risk challenges long-term forest planning

Wildfire risk is rising across the Pacific Northwest at the same time timber prices remain volatile. For timberland owners, that combination can make long harvest rotations harder to justify and can reduce the value of forestland...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

Co-created wildfire guide helps Spanish-speaking renters prepare

Wildfire risk continues to increase across Oregon, but access to preparedness education is not evenly distributed. Spanish-speaking renters, farmworkers and forest workers often face barriers that limit their ability to prepare for, ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

OSU tests vineyard spray to help protect wine grapes from wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke is a growing risk for wine grapes in Oregon and across the West. When smoke reaches vineyards near harvest, grapes can take in smoke compounds that later affect wine flavor and aroma. In bad years, growers ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

Heat dome canopy damage mapped to inform Northwest forest decisions

The 2021 “heat dome” brought record heat to the Pacific Northwest, stressing forests at a scale few managers had seen before. Extreme heat can scorch foliage in the forest canopy, reducing photosynthesis and leaving trees ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

Garden challenge helps Oregon families grow food, skills and health

Oregon ranks high in fruit and vegetable consumption, but many households, classrooms and community sites still struggle to grow and use produce year-round. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a clear need for simple, bilingual, ...

Nov 2025 | Impact Story

Collaborative OSU effort reduces whale entanglement, earns national honor

Whale entanglement in fishing gear is a serious threat that can cause drowning, injury and interfere with feeding. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2022 West Coast Whale Entanglement Summary, 30 ...

Nov 2025 | Impact Story

Master Gardener volunteers grow food, knowledge and community across Oregon

In 2024, Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener volunteers met Oregonians where they were. Across the state, people were looking for affordable, healthy food, practical and culturally meaningful gardening education, ...

Nov 2025 | Impact Story