Environmental Health

OSU Extension helps increase awareness of sudden oak death

Sudden oak death, caused by the non-native pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, continues to threaten Oregon’s forests and rural communities. The disease has killed hundreds of thousands of tanoak trees in Curry County and contributes to...

Feb 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

Targeted grazing reduces wildfire risk and boosts rangeland health in Malheur County

Invasive grasses — often called “fine fuels” — pose a major wildfire threat and jeopardize the biodiversity of the Northern Great Basin, including Malheur County. These fast-growing grasses outcompete native plants, dry out ...

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 research enhances landslide hazard assessment following wildfire

Landslides, often triggered by extreme events such as heavy precipitation, wildfires and earthquakes, pose significant environmental, societal and economic risks. In the mountainous, forested terrain of the West, including Oregon, shallow...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story

New online tools simplify native bee identification in Pacific Northwest

Bees and other animal pollinators enhance the reproduction of nearly 90% of the Earth’s wild flowering plants, in addition to many food crops, and are an essential component of biodiversity. However, identifying native bees, ...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story

OSU inspires Oregonians to become successful beekeepers

As people increasingly recognize the vital role honeybees play in pollinating key crops, there's a growing interest in raising them in backyards. To support this enthusiasm, the Oregon State University Extension Service launched the...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story

Using science to inform policy for a wildfire-adapted Oregon

In response to longer and more severe wildfire seasons, a growing population living in the wildland-urban interface and the extensive impacts of the 2020 Labor Day fires, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 762 in 2021, ...

Sep 2024 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Fire Program fosters place-based partnerships

As a land grant university, Oregon State University takes research and innovation out of the labs and puts them into practice in the communities and landscapes around the state through Extension programs. While OSU’s influence ...

Aug 2024 | Impact Story

Living on the Land helps small-acreage landowners steward their land and protect natural resources

Rural landowners in the Willamette Valley often face steep learning curves when it comes to managing soil, water, livestock and vegetation. Many are new to land stewardship and need guidance on protecting natural resources while ...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story