Congratulations to each of the latest Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) national award winners from Forestry and Natural Resources Extension! This recognition from peers from across the country serves as a testament to the exceptional quality of the work done. The ANREP Awards Program fosters high standards within the membership, recognizes significant achievement, and expands the use of high quality, innovative materials and programs by honoring the outstanding members and partners who developed them.
The Gold Award in TV/Video went to Bees in the Woods, a video series that offers information on enhancing pollinator habitat on small private forest properties. Lauren Grand, Brad Withrow-Robinson, Jacob Putney, Stephen Fitzgerald, Hayley Brazier (High Desert Museum), and Pat McAbery (Sight and Sound Services) worked on this video series.
The publication Introduction to Forest Carbon, Offsets and Markets, received the Silver Award for long publication. Jacob Putney, Norma Kline, Stephen Fitzgerald, Lauren Grand, Chris Schnepf (University of Idaho), Greg Latta (University of Idaho), Patrick Shults (Washington State University) and John Rizza (formerly OSU) were authors of this Extension publication that introduces readers to forest carbon, carbon offsets, projects and markets. It is intended to orient forest owners, land managers, natural resource professionals and others to forest carbon and carbon market terminology and processes, as well as resources for assistance and getting started.
Lace-Anna Rowe (Forest Engineering, ‘24) gained valuable technical skills in the mechanized harvesting lab while pursuing her undergraduate degree. Rowe now works as a program coordinator at Umpqua Community College.
The College of Foresty’s Mechanized Harvesting Laboratory, led by Professor Kevin Lyons, was recently awarded a $383,730 grant from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to grow the forest industry workforce through the development of four specialized training certificates. These certificates build on successful existing OSU programs and partnerships utilizing forest harvesting simulators and practical field activities. The certificates aim to address the high demand for skilled workers and managers in the mechanized logging sector, a field that is projected to face labor shortages in the coming years.
“Logging has historically been a difficult and dangerous field to work in,” said Lyons, the Wes Lematta Professor of Forestry Engineering. “Advancing mechanization and providing more education opportunities using innovative technology, like harvesting simulators, increases worker safety and knowledge in the field and exposes a new generation to the field of forestry.”
The certificates will be designed to provide clear training pathways for individuals seeking careers in forest machine operation and management, and are open to current OSU students, high school students, community college students, post baccalaureate students and vocational workers. Each certificate is being developed in close collaboration with the Mechanized Harvesting Laboratory’s partners, including the Natural Resource Career and Technical Education high schools, the Future Natural Resource Leaders, Umpqua Community College, Associated Oregon Loggers, Papé Machinery, Miller Timber Services, Weyerhaeuser and Melcher Logging.
“Initial feedback from our pilot projects indicated that users wanted more locations to obtain training, formal certificates and time with industry trainers,” said Lyons. “We can be most effective by working across the education spectrum, incorporating learners from high school, undergraduate programs and even those currently employed.”
By involving multiple communities and locations, the lab addresses the lack of forest sector training opportunities and technological gaps that weaken efforts to attract and retain talent in forest harvesting. The four certificates act as a ladder connecting new workers, existing ones and managers to bring opportunity to underserved populations in Oregon, including rural communities, people of color, women and high school students who are not immediately planning to attend post-secondary education. Bringing workforce development directly to these communities helps increase the diversity of forestry’s future workforce. To overcome language barriers, the certificates will be offered in multiple languages, including Spanish.
Simulator-based education offers safe, hands-on training without exposing inexperienced workers to the risks of real-world logging. Logging has one of the highest rates of fatal injuries of any civilian job in the U.S., but research by the Pacific Northwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center (2024) shows that increased mechanization is helping to reduce accidents and fatalities.
“By leveraging partnerships and simulator-based training, we are ensuring our students receive both hands-on training and earn formal certifications that improve their career prospects,” said Lyons. “With this grant, OSU and its partners are poised to strengthen Oregon’s forest industry workforce, enhancing both safety and efficiency in forest management.”
The College of Forestry received an Oregon Workforce Ready Grant to grow the forest industry workforce through the development of four specialized training certificates:
Forest Machine Management
OSU undergraduate certificate.
Equips managers with the skills to oversee mechanized forest harvesting operations.
Available to OSU students and working professionals with courses integrated into the Forest Engineering and Forest Operations programs.
Mechanized Forestry Technician
Certificate offered at Umpqua Community College.
Trains forestry technicians to implement mechanized harvesting systems.
Aligns with UCC Associate of Science Degree in Forestry.
Forest Machine Operator
OSU Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) certificate.
Provides upskill training for those already in the industry.
An earn-and-learn program supported by sponsoring companies.
Introduction to Mechanized Forest Harvesting
OSU PACE certificate.
Introduces high school students to mechanized harvesting techniques.
A version of this story appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Focus on Forestry, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry.
Imagine stepping into a forest and exploring the wonders of Oregon’s landscapes without ever leaving the classroom. A virtual reality program, offered by OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension, is offering high school students, career seekers and new logging employees a chance to do just that, transforming the way they learn about forestry and opening the door to an exciting career in one of Oregon’s most vital industries.
“The ‘Virtual Canopy’ program offers an innovative solution to address key challenges faced by Oregon’s forest sector, like workforce shortages, recruitment issues and safety concerns,” said Lauren Grand, associate professor of practice and Lane County Extension agent. “By using virtual reality technology, we can create a safe and interactive training environment while exposing a more diverse group of people to the career opportunities available to them in forestry, especially for those who may not be considering higher education.”
Oregon’s forest sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and community, contributing to the third-largest GDP in Oregon and producing nearly 50% of the nation’s lumber and plywood. However, the industry faces significant challenges, including an aging workforce, declining recruitment, and the need for safer, more engaging training methods. Logging remains one of the most dangerous professions in the state, with fatality rates higher than any other occupation, underscoring the critical need for innovative safety education and workforce development initiatives.
By integrating safety education with career exposure, the Virtual Canopy program promotes forest sector career pathways, including those that do not require a college degree, while working to reduce potential injuries or dangerous situations.
This program is designed to be portable and scalable with training sessions available in classrooms, career fairs and workplaces. OSU Extension currently houses 20 VR headsets for educator use, with additional units deployed by industry partners like the Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc., and the OSU College of Forestry for recruitment and training events.
The program is already showing signs of success, with eight out of 10 participants reporting that they learned new information about forestry careers and seven out of 10 finding the experience engaging and expressing a desire to participate again. Notably, the program has no significant differences in engagement based on prior forestry experience or gender, making it a versatile tool for reaching a diverse audience.
“The future of forestry depends on a skilled workforce and accessible pathways to stable, safe, well-paying careers,” said Grand. “By combining career exposure, safety education and innovative training methods, ‘Virtual Canopy’ brings workforce development and opportunity directly to people so that we can support the growth of Oregon’s forestry sector.”
A version of this story appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Focus on Forestry, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry.
In January the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $4.2 million grant to the Clallam County Economic Development Council in Port Angeles, Washington, to advance Indigenous forestry resource development. The grant was matched with over $1 million in local funds from combined contributions by the Clallam County government, Oregon State University, Port of Port Angeles, Clallam County EDC, Composite Recycling Technology Center, Peninsula College, University of Washington’s Olympic Natural Resources Center and the City of Forks.
As part of this grant, College of Forestry Stewart Professor of Forest Operations Woodam Chung is advancing Investing in Forestry Skills: A Technology-Focused Workforce Training Program. The initiative is designed to build a highly skilled and technologically advanced forestry workforce in Clallam and Jefferson Counties through comprehensive training and development. Additionally, it aims to address the critical workforce shortage, one of the most pressing challenges facing the forest industry today.
“We’ve seen a dramatic decline in the forest industry workforce, and attracting younger generations has been increasingly difficult,” said Chung. “This reluctance, I believe, comes partly from the outdated perception that forestry jobs are inherently tough and dangerous. However, the reality is that rapid technological advancements and increasing mechanization are modernizing the field, making forestry jobs safer and more efficient.”
As technology continues to advance, Chung emphasizes that forest workforce development and training programs must evolve as well.
“In order to attract and retain skilled workers, training programs need to reflect the technological changes shaping the industry,” he said. “We must equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate cutting-edge equipment and embrace new, more sustainable forestry practices.”
By doing so, he believes the industry can not only overcome its current workforce shortage but also prepare for a future that is both safer and more technologically integrated.
Today, the forestry sector lacks accessible training opportunities, has unclear career paths and a widening gap between existing skills and emerging technologies. The program aims to address these challenges and empower the region through a multifaceted approach that focuses on:
Bridging the skills gap by providing targeted training on essential technologies and skillsets – cultivating a future-ready workforce by fostering proficiency in current technology and adaptability.
Developing partnerships with industry, public and tribal land management agencies, school districts and forestry associations across Jefferson and Clallam Counties and establishing new hands-on training curricula.
Providing diverse pathways — both entry-level and upskilling/retraining for existing forestry professionals — that cater to the specific needs of different audiences.
As this program bridges the skills gap and works to cultivate a future-ready workforce, it will increase the forestry sector’s accessibility and appeal to a broader audience of jobseekers and promote economic growth in forest-dependent rural communities. It will also improve operational efficiency and safety in forest practices, along with increased awareness of environmental impacts.
The grant will also support the University of Washington’s Olympic National Resource Center and new forest workforce training programs at Peninsula College. These programs aim to advance Clallam County’s economic growth, contribute to innovative and sustainable forest management in the community and represent a commitment to rural prosperity.
Co-PIs for this project include Kevin Lyons and Heesung Woo, Oregon State University; Mia Boster, Peninsula College; and Bernard Bormann, University of Washington Olympic Natural Resources Center.
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 extends globally, our success is also measured by our ability to equip and support every Oregonian—both rural and urban.
Oregon faces increasing challenges and opportunities related to wildland fire. In response, Oregon State created a dedicated Extension Fire Program in 2020 to help foster fire-adapted communities and resilient ecosystems through place-based partnerships. Six regional fire specialists provide wildland fire outreach, education and engagement. Two outreach program coordinators lead special initiatives focused on fire science application and workforce equity. A manager and director support their work and provide overall program direction.
This team helps build “place-based partnerships,” meaning they live and work in each of their service areas and have deep regional fire history and ecology knowledge. They also collaborate with communities and partners on shared visions for fire adaptation that fit the local geographical and social context. This place-based work is guided by the program’s Theory of Change, which is an approach that supports strong and equitable processes for living with fire at all scales.
The work of the Extension Fire Program is diverse, and includes community fire preparedness like wildfire protection planning and tools for evaluation and adaptation; and efforts to increase landscape resiliency, such as prescribed fire education, training and capacity building. The team emphasizes partnerships with communities facing disproportionate wildfire risk and those with less access to mitigation and recovery resources.
Emily Jane “EJ” Davis, an associate professor in the College of Forestry and social scientist, is the director of the Extension Fire Program.
“Research shows that community-based approaches to living with wildfire that engage local people are the most effective. The Extension Fire Program leads by those principles, and seeks to bring together all the agencies and organizations in wildland fire so that we can do more collectively,” explained Davis.
Nice to meet you!
Across Oregon, our Extension Fire Team is there for the many different communities, climates and ecosystems of the state. Serving over 4.2 million Oregonians, six agents, two coordinators, a program manager and director work hard to ensure communities are wildfire ready and wildfire safe. Meet the team and learn more about the regions they serve:
EMILY JANE “EJ” DAVIS Fire Program Director I love supporting and learning from our diverse team. We each have different backgrounds, experiences and values, which come together to make our program multifaceted and interesting. As a social scientist, I am interested in understanding how diverse people and organizations can work together to support more fire-adapted communities and resilient landscapes.
CARRIE BERGER Fire Program Manager As the manager of the program, I love the diversity of people I get to meet and developing a connection with them. These relationships allow us to find common ground to work on (wildfire) solutions for the benefit of Oregon’s communities and landscapes.
MANUEL MACHADO Outreach Program Coordinator My favorite part about this role is that it aligns with my personal values and does not place limitations on what can be done to empower our communities and change systems of inequity. Here in the Rogue Valley, I feel fortunate to work alongside and learn from a community so full of passion and grit.
AUTUMN ELLISON Outreach Program Coordinator I find it really energizing when I can connect people with each other for information, resources or to help answer questions. Watching new partnerships grow from these efforts is inspiring!
AARON GROTH Regional Fire Specialist, Northwest Coastal Wildland fire has played a key role across the Coast Range and the loss of cultural or Indigenous fire has led, with other factors, to the loss of over 90% of Oregon’s coastal grasslands and decline in oak habitat in the eastern foothills. As highlighted by the Echo Mountain Fire Complex, even relatively small fires can have devastating impacts on homes, recreation, timber, habitat and water.
KAYLA BORDELON Regional Fire Specialist, Willamette Valley & Cascades The counties I serve are home to half the population of the state, including the urban core of Oregon and many small, rural communities. This diversity means that I support community and landscape resilience in a variety of ways—from crafting resources for smoke and wildfire preparedness for outdoor workers in the heart of the Willamette Valley, to working with partners to prioritize landscape treatments across large rural landscapes. No matter where I am in my region, momentum is strong to develop pathways to fire resilience that are community-driven and locally-relevant.
MICAH SCHMIDT Regional Fire Specialist, Northeast A unique thing about my region is that northeast Oregon is filled with small communities in which the people take care of each other. I enjoy my position because I can help these communities prepare for and interact with fire in a positive way.
KATHERINE WOLLSTEIN Regional Fire Specialist, Southeast While I help individuals, organizations and communities apply rangeland and fire science, one of the more meaningful aspects of my job is helping these groups find ways to effectively organize and work together toward fire adaptation. In my region dominated by public land and where ecological, social, and political dynamics and resource-dependent livelihoods all intersect, this work is endlessly interesting.
ARIEL COWAN Regional Fire Specialist, Central The rural and urban communities of the Central Region have deep connections with the outdoors, including our fire-adapted ecosystems. As the region grows quickly, I enjoy demystifying fire for people of all ages and backgrounds through experiential learning of local fire ecology and empowering readiness for wildfire seasons.
CHRISTOPHER ADLAM Regional Fire Specialist, Southwest Southwest Oregon landscapes and communities are incredibly varied but all of them have a fire story. It’s a privilege to work across the region to help write the next chapter!
A version of this story appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Focus on Forestry, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry.
Did your woodlands sustain storm damage from this weeks ice storm? Wondering what to do next? This will depend on the conditions of your site (like wind exposure) as well as your management plan. Each stand is unique and each landowner has their own goals and objectives for their woodland property.
Your first actionable steps may look like the following:
Safety First! Wear proper PPE, and unless you are experienced with chainsaws, do not attempt to fell storm damaged trees yourself.
Assessment – Map the damaged area. Walk your property and note the extent of the damage on your maps or photos. Draw boundaries to help determine the size of the area impacted. Note species, size, type of damage, quality of trees, etc.
Trees with breakage:
Trees with less than 50% crown (branches and leaves) loss will most lively recover.
Trees with more than 75% crown top loss are likely to die and be a greater risk for both insects and diseases.
Trees with 50% to 75% crown loss should be maintained but may develop stain and decay loss to the wood and should be reevaluated every 4 to 6 years.
Trees with structural damage to the main trunk, including splits and fractures, should be removed.
Trees that are uprooted:
If uprooted completely they will be degraded quickly by insects, stain, and fungi.
Trees which are partially uprooted and their crowns are still green with leaves will last longer.
Tree with major wounding:
If these wounds are more than two inches deep and affect more than 25% of the circumference of the tree’s trunk, they are major sites for stain and decay and should be salvaged.
Smaller wounds do not represent major damage to trees.
Trees that are bent over:
These trees often have cracks or fractures in the trunk and major limbs.
If the cracks or fractures extend down more than 25% of the tree’s trunk, harvesting is recommended.
Trees less than 15 feet tall with small cracks will usually straighten and recover.
Salvage Potential – Tree value is determined by species, size, and quality.
If salvageable trees are still standing and have branches with green leaves, they will not degrade significantly in the next 6 to 12 months.
Trees which have blown over or are not standing should be salvaged before next spring.
Wood on the ground begins to degrade immediately; there are some differences in species as to how fast stain and decay enter the wood.
Woodland Management Plan – Revisit this, adjust and adapt as needed.
Don’t abandon good forestry practices when working with damaged woodlands.
Don’t remove too many trees.
Look for opportunities to improve wildlife habitat in woodlands.
Work with your forester to evaluate reproduction needs before harvesting.
In response to climate change and forest decline in various regions of the U.S., in 2022, President Biden signed Executive Order 14072: Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies, which calls for conserving and safeguarding mature and old-growth forests.
As part of the executive order, an unprecedented investment is being made to create an inventory and assessment of risks to mature and old-growth forests across U.S. federal lands and to create partnerships with Tribal Nations to increase the sustainability and climate resilience of U.S. forests.
To address EO 14072, Cristina Eisenberg, the Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Maybelle Clark MacDonald Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources and Tom DeLuca, the Cheryl Ramberg Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean of the Oregon State University College of Forestry have been awarded a $1M USDA Forest Service grant to work with Forest Service leaders and Tribal Nation leaders to convene four Tribal roundtable meetings in the Pacific Northwest region. These meetings, developed in partnership with U.S. regional Tribal colleges, will be a complimentary form of Tribal engagement distinct from consultation, designed to help Tribal Nations consult on their own with the U.S. federal government as early as possible in the process of defining mature and old-growth forests. These meetings will also discuss what active adaptive stewardship that incorporates all ways of knowing, including Indigenous Knowledge (IK), might look like.
“Such a decolonized approach is distinct from and complementary to the traditional agency Tribal consultation approach, which is often a fraught process, with low participation,” said Eisenberg. “Tribal roundtable meetings will be based on principles of reciprocity and respect, fully honoring government-to-government relations and Tribal Sovereignty Rights. Furthermore, by decolonizing these Tribal roundtables, we will be creating a safe space for Tribal leaders to openly express their thoughts about Executive Order 14072, while protecting data sovereignty, data security and honoring Tribal Sovereignty.”
Tribes have stewarded forest lands in North America for the past 20,000 years, using IK, defined as the wisdom about the natural world that Indigenous Peoples have had since time immemorial. IK is a form of adaptive stewardship, also known as learning by doing, based on the premise that nature is our teacher, and that by listening to nature, we can learn what we need to know to thrive. IK is also rooted in the concept of reciprocity – that our relationships with nature should be based on resource use that is sustainable for future generations. While Western science is a powerful tool for learning, U.S. leaders and Tribal partners have concluded that ecocultural restoration is needed to achieve climate resilience. Ecocultural restoration is the process of bringing together the best Western science with IK in a form of adaptive stewardship called Two-Eyed Seeing.
The Indigenous-led Tribal roundtables program will also provide several jobs for Indigenous students and help support career development of Indigenous peoples, through mentorship and leadership development.
Each Tribal roundtable will: • Be an in-person two-day gathering, hosted by the USDA Forest Service. • Include elders and ceremony to open and close the gathering • Include traditional foods (e.g., salmon and huckleberries in the PNW) • Be a closed event, to create a safe, decolonized space for speaking openly
Upon completion, the program will deliver a formal report to Congress to express the thoughts and feelings of Native people about mature and old-growth forests. All Tribal participants will be invited to co-author any materials produced from this event. The first Tribal roundtable meeting will convene PNW Tribes in early 2024.
Podcast brings science-based information to woodland owners and managers.
When woodland owners encounter problems beyond their expertise, they often approach Oregon State University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension Service experts for help, either through email or phone or through professional Extension events like field days, workshops, seminars and short courses.
Those approaches can be limiting, though. Direct contact involves travel time for all involved and conflicting schedules and obligations mean some people can’t attend events.
In response, Lauren Grand, OSU Extension forester in Lane County, and her Extension colleagues created a podcast. Instead of having to be present at a certain time and place to reach a limited audience, Extension professionals present their educational content to an unlimited audience 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing more people access to the information they want and need.
Twice a month, the “In the Woods” podcast shares stories and interviews with forest scientists, land managers and members of the public, communicating science-based and forest-related research. The podcast helps strengthen the forestry community, reaching both traditional and new audiences. While the traditional Oregon woodland owner is often older, listeners to “In the Woods” trend younger with 39% of listeners ages 28-34 and 26% ages 23-27. Reaching more young, urban, non-forest owners and natural resource professionals is in line with Extension’s mission of being accessible to all.
The podcast was one of the top 20% of podcasts shared globally on Spotify and the three highest-rated podcasts discussing water, soil and forest fungi. Half of listeners have, or plan to, adopt tips and skills they learned about in the episodes they’ve listened to. 75% of listeners report the podcast has improved their understanding of how research informs natural resource management.
Prescribed fire training and education transforms rural residents’ relationship to fire and builds a foundation for effective landscape restoration.
For many Oregonians, fire means smoke, summer anxiety and blackened landscapes. With the increasing number and intensity or wildfires, the need to do something is urgent.
More than 1 million acres of land — many of them forest and wildlands — burned during the highly destructive wildfires of 2020. Clearing brush is essential to mitigating wildfire in Oregon, and one way to do this is through controlled burning — purposeful lighting of fire under ideal weather conditions, with safeguards in place. But controlled burning can be difficult for private landowners to implement.
The Oregon State University Extension Service, in partnership with the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association, a cooperative composed of landowners and fire professionals, is doing work in the Rogue Valley to change perspectives and offer help through education and outreach.
To help normalize controlled burns, Chris Adlam, OSU Extension wildland fire specialist, is delivering hands-on learning opportunities, including live-fire trainings, workshops and conferences to help participants envision a better future dealing with fire.
This outreach has helped establish a new model for prescribed burning on private lands and has led to broader stakeholder involvement. With OSU Extension’s help, membership in the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association has grown to include landowners, forest workers and wildland firefighters, including several federally qualified burn bosses, and attracted interest from collaboratives and community groups across the region.
North of the Rogue Valley, the day was gray and the skies threatened to open, but nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the 20 trainees from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, who gathered in the Oregon State University Dunn Forest for lessons in prescribed fire.
The class — taught by OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension faculty — was a three-day learning experience for employees of NRCS, which consults with private landowners about land-use restoration solutions. In order to recommend prescribed fire, NRCS staff need to be certified.
Tom Snyder works in the Eugene NRCS field office and concentrates on oak woodland and savannah, a fire-adapted landscape that’s been shaped for thousands of years through intentional burning by the Indigenous peoples now known as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Cultural burning supports wildlife habitat and plays an important part in the traditions, culture and Sovereignty of Tribes.
“We’ve been doing restoration without fire, which is the tool that created this landscape,” Snyder said. “We’ll be able to use fire in the future as part of our restoration methodology within the Willamette Valley.”
In most cases, according to Stephen Fitzgerald, Extension silviculture specialist and director of the OSU College of Forestry Research Forests, landowners use heavy machinery, mowing, spraying and grazing to thin out overgrown land. Grazing is better than mowing because there’s no thatch buildup that remains as fuel for wildfires. But nothing beats fire.
“Fire recycles nutrients and causes a flush of growth. Then those plants support insects, which are important pollinators, and other wildlife,” he said.
Extension by the numbers -5381 educational presentations -1,140 consultations with Extension agents -7 extension agents carry out statewide fire program
Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Extension fosters stewardship of Oregon’s forests
Get Outdoors Day returns Sponsored by the OSU Research Forests, FNR Extension, the Benton County Health Department and Linn and Benton counties, Get Outdoors Day returned to the Peavy Arboretum for the first time since 2019. The theme was “Returning to the Forest,” and the day featured bilingual activities, self-guided tours, fishing and more. More than 20 organizations from the Willamette Valley worked together to host the event, dedicated to encouraging healthy, inclusive outdoor recreational opportunities.
Teaching youth to value forests Associate Professor Alicia Christiansen, the FNR Extension agent for Douglas County, hosted the 60th annual Douglas County School Forestry Tour at the Glide Educational Forest in April. Students learned about topics such as wildlife, forest products, forest management, fire management, fisheries and hydrology, tree identification and archeology. They were also able to participate in activities like choker races and using crosscut saws. FNR Extension foresters like Christiansen are in the community teaching the public, including young people, about the value of Oregon forests.
Fire program expands outreach The FNR Extension Fire program has a mission to teach all Oregonians how to be prepared for wildfires. The program developed and translated informational cards in Spanish about basic wildfire preparedness for the home, simple actions to reduce wildfire impact before it strikes, how to be smoke ready and tools to support mental health before, during and after a wildfire. The program also offers online resources for those who can’t attend in-person events, such as a recent webinar on preparing for wildfire season in Benton County.
Research shows Klamath Mountain Douglas-firs in ‘decline spiral’ A study by FNR Extension found there are multiple factors in the decline of Douglas-fir trees in the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon. Douglas-fir growing on hot, dry sites are further stressed by drought and then left susceptible to flathead fir borers. The researchers, including Extension agent and Associate Professor Max Bennett and Professor and Forest Health Specialist David Shaw, developed a measuring tool that landowners and managers can use to predict a stand’s chance of infestation by borers, other insects and fungi to understand mortality risks.
Tree School returns in Oregon Tree Schools, which are mini-colleges for people who love forests, were held this spring in Clackamas and the Oregon coast, and in early summer in Eastern Oregon. Participants include family forestland owners, foresters, loggers, arborists, teachers and the public. Classes are taught by FNR Extension foresters, natural resource professionals and experienced local landowners. Each year, regional Tree Schools are hosted in various counties around the state of Oregon.
Helping Oregon’s woodland owners manage their land The Master Woodland Manager training is offered by FNR Extension as a high level course for private landowners who are interested in intensive forest management training and sharing the knowledge gained through this training with people in their local communities. The program addresses technical forestry topics such as forest planning and management, reforestation, wildfire, fire, timber harvesting and more. More than 600 landowners have been trained through the program, and in 2022, participants reported 3,400 hours of volunteer public education in their communities.
A version of this story appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of Focus on Forestry, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry.
