Readings from Ecology and Management of Eastern Oregon Forests, plus links to additional resources
March 3: Blue Mountain Forests
- Read chapter 1 in Ecology and Management of Eastern Oregon Forests
- Additional Reference: Understanding Eastside Forests. Colorfully illustrated publication covering the geology and ecology, major forest types, characteristics of selected trees, disturbance and change, and management of Oregon forests east of the Cascades. Free download from Oregon Forest Resources Institute.
- Tree Tolerances Handout
- Plant Associations of the Blue and Ochoco Mountains
- March 3 Webinar Recording
March 10: Trees to Know in the Northern Blues
Suggested References
- Trees to Know in Oregon. Excellent field guide of native trees in the region. Available from the OSU Extension Catalog for $18.
- Shrubs to Know in Pacific Northwest Forests. Companion guide to shrubs. $12 from the OSU Extension Catalog.
- Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest. OSU website with basic identification and growth characteristics of native, and commonly introduced, tree species.
- John’s Key to Conifers (Please download and print for March 10 class.)
- TTK Term Illustrations
- Blue Mountain Trees
- March 10 Webinar Recording (The captions for this webinar were auto-generated and require editing.)
March 17: Fire on the Landscape
Suggested References
- Why wildfires have gotten worse — and what we can do about it. 14 minute video of Dr. Paul Hessberg’s insights into why our forests are experiencing larger, more extreme fires.
- A Land Manager’s Guide for Creating Fire Resistant Forests. Great advice on what you can do to reduce risk of intense wildfire on your forested property.
- March 17 Webinar Recording (The captions for this webinar were auto-generated and require editing.)
April 14: Why Trees Die
- Read chapter 7 in Ecology and Management of Eastern Oregon Forests
- Why Trees Die. Brief overview of common tree mortality issues, and what you can do to improve tree health.
- Abiotic Injuries to Forest Trees. Overview of how extremes in weather, soil, and human activity can damage or kills trees. Free download.
- Managing Insects and Diseases of Oregon Conifers (EM 8980). The go-to reference for what to do when insects, fungi, parasitic plants, or other pathogens threaten trees. Free download or $18 for the spiral-bound full-color manual.
- Field Guide to the Common Diseases and Insect Pests of Oregon and Washington Conifers. Classic and comprehensive guide by Ellen Goheen and Elizabeth Willhite, USDA Forest Service.
- Forest Health Highlights in 2019. Concise but very informative annual report on forest health issues in Oregon. Published jointly by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the USDA Forest Service.
- Insects and Diseases of Blue Mountain Conifers. Compendium of tables from EM8980.
- April 14 Webinar Recording (The captions for this webinar were auto-generated and require editing.)
April 21: Managing for Healthy Forests
- Read chapters 2-5 in Ecology and Management of Eastern Oregon Forests
- Harvest Considerations. Expert advice from Chuck Sarrett, Consulting Forester.
- Post-thinning Checklist. What to do after a thinning or harvest operation to ensure the best results.
- Basic Forest Inventory Techniques. Forest measurement how-to guide for family forestland owners.
- Thinning: An important timber management tool. An oldie but goodie on thinning practices.
- Stocking guide for Northeastern Oregon. Detailed recommendations for density management of our region’s forests.
- April 21 Webinar Recording. (The captions for this webinar were auto-generated and require editing.)
April 28: Developing a Fire-adapted Community
Suggested References
- Before Wildfire Strikes. Written for southwestern Oregon, this free publication is equally applicable to the Northern Blues and has great advice on living in wildfire-prone landscapes.
- Wildfire Home Assessment & Checklist. From the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. Assessment considerations are listed on pages 2-7, and the checklist on pages 8-11.
- Fire Resistant Plants for Home Landscapes. OSU guide to help you select plants appropriate for planting around homes in fire-prone regions.
- Flammable plants to avoid in home landscapes. From Project Wildfire in Deschutes County.
- Firewise Program. This NFPA program has lots of information on how to prepare your home and community to be more resilient to wildfire.
- Fire Adapted Communities Self-assessment Tool. Checklist from the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network.
- Sign up for detailed emergency alerts for your county: Baker, Grant, Umatilla, Union, Walla Walla. (Not currently available for Wallowa County.)
- Ember ignition video. 2-minute video from IBHS showing how materials and immediate zone conditions impact ember ignition. If the link above doesn’t work, copy this into your browser: https://vimeo.com/374166028
- April 28 recording. Captions not yet available. (The webinar recording didn’t work – so this version was recorded offline.)
