Forestry and Natural Resources

Woodland Pollinator Stewards enhance bee habitat on private lands

Pollinator health has captured the interest of the country as people become concerned about dwindling populations of bees. Oregon forests are home to an estimated 300 native bee species but there’s much to learn about their ...

Mar 2022 | Impact Story

Forestry Extension assists state with monitoring the invasive spongy moth

The spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth), which is defoliating trees in the northeastern United States, hasn’t been found in Oregon – but it’s important to keep the moth out of the state. This invasive insect ...

Mar 2021 | Impact Story

Tree School Online helps woodland owners during COVID-19

More than 79,000 family forest owners in Oregon manage 3.6 million acres of private forestland, providing substantial economic, social and ecological value. Surveys show that landowner goals are diverse, as are the challenges they ...

Mar 2021 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Fire Program steps up for landowners after wildfires

Westside Oregon landscapes that typically don’t see frequent wildfire events were hit hard by the 2020 Labor Day fires. Fueled by dry conditions and fierce east winds, the westside fires burned over one million acres and ...

Dec 2020 | Impact Story

Born from necessity, Extension wildflower videos viewed hundreds of times

Each year, Rachel Werling, an instructor in the Oregon State University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension program, leads groups on hikes in in southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley to teach them about natural history, fire ...

Jun 2020 | Impact Story

Surveys show revised OSU Woodland Stick satisfies majority of users

Professional foresters have access to myriad tools that measure tree size (height and diameter) and determine wood volume in individual or multiple trees. However, these tools can be expensive and complex for landowners who need ...

Jun 2020 | Impact Story

Urban cosmetologists raise money for Hopkins Demonstration Forest

Private family forests often border the cities where most Oregonians live, but public understanding of management practices is lacking. It is an ongoing challenge to sustain private woodlands and engage urban audiences in ...

Mar 2020 | Impact Story

Master Woodland Manager volunteers improve Lane County forest health

Forests cover 85% of Lane County and have long been considered a major jewel in the crown of the county’s natural resources. Lane County’s family woodland owners play a vital role in forest management, providing substantial ...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story

Partnership builds forest management expertise in northeast Oregon

Forest landowners in northeast Oregon face the ramifications of nearly 100 years of fire suppression. Facing marginal timber prices, landowners require financial assistance to carry out much-needed fuels reduction and forest thinning ...

Mar 2024 | Impact Story

Community scientists track climate change, blaze new paths of communication

Climate change brings new challenges and with those come a demand for information to help natural resource-based communities. Collaboration between researchers, community scientists and the Oregon State University Extension Service is a...

Apr 2021 | Impact Story