Hood River

Innovative teen leadership project serves youths in Columbia River Gorge

After virtual school instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon State University Extension Service 4-H Youth Development staff in Wasco County noticed that students coming to after-school programs had difficulty sharing materials, ...

May 2023 | Impact Story

OSU Extension helps Oregon’s woodland owners manage their land

Oregon's family woodland owners manage close to 4.5 million acres – or 40% of all private forestland in the state. They make substantial contributions to local economic, social, ecological and recreational services. Building ...

May 2023 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Master Naturalist program trains volunteers to be ambassadors for Oregon’s natural resources

People from all over the world come to enjoy Oregon’s beauty and natural resources, but few residents have the knowledge that would deepen appreciation of the state such as sharing how animals, plants and insects work ...

May 2023 | Impact Story

OSU Extension outreach helps slow the spread of deadly X-disease in cherries

Cherry growers in the Columbia River Gorge dread the emergence of X-disease, which makes cherries small, flavorless and unmarketable. At least 239,856 cherry trees were removed between 2015-2023, costing growers an estimated $115 ...

Apr 2023 | Impact Story

OSU Extension supports installation of regional air quality monitoring network

Wildfire smoke has been an issue in the Columbia River Gorge for several years. Oregon’s Labor Day week fires in September 2020 led to the Gorge experiencing record-shattering hazardous air quality index (AQI) levels. The Eagle...

Mar 2023 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Fire Program shares benefits of prescribed burning

For thousands of years, fire supported environmental health in many parts of Oregon through both natural occurrences and cultural practices of Indigenous peoples. But after more than a century of fires being suppressed, Oregon’s ...

May 2022 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Master Gardener Program increases diversity, equity and inclusivity

With nearly 2,800 volunteers in 27 counties across the state, the 46-year-old Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener program made contact with 78,700 Oregonians in 2022 – a significant increase from 2021's ...

Feb 2023 | Impact Story

Virtual Walk With Ease class increases accessibility to disabled adults

Walk With Ease is an evidence-based exercise program developed by the Arthritis Foundation that can help adults build confidence in being physically active while reducing pain and improving their overall health. The Oregon State ...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story

Extension educates Oregonians to prepare for massive earthquake, tsunami

Scientists predict there is about a 37% chance that an earthquake of at least 8.0 magnitude will strike off the Pacific Northwest coast in the next 50 years. When it occurs, the historic temblor and resulting tsunami will ...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story

Livestock producers embrace progressive tactics for dealing with wolves

Wolves pose a threat to livestock in the Pacific Northwest through depredation, and some studies have shown that their presence causes stress in cattle that leads to decreased reproductive rates and weight gain. Under the Oregon...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story