Oregon WildBlog

An Experience of a Lifetime

I’ve spent a lot of time in ancient forests over the past year as I work on the new guide to Oregon’s Ancient Forests. Like, a lot, a lot. The forest around Opal Creek is, hands down (and I know I'm not alone in this), one of my favorites.

Oregonians love their Wilderness areas. But some of these fragile landscapes are becoing overwhelmed with visitors. How do we protect what we love?

Many Oregon elementary school children have the opportunity to attend Outdoor School, essentially a blend of camping-plus-school that takes children into the forest to talk about wildlife, water, geology, and plant life. Through songs and traditions, as well as hands-on learning, it’s a fantastic experience that sticks with students for their entire lives. Oregon children are instilled at a very young age with an appreciation of nature.

It’s officially prescribed fire season in many parts of Oregon. Here is a bit of background and a run down of some of the advantages and disadvantages. 

As uncomfortable as it is for many of us to accept it (human nature), wildfire is a normal process for Oregon’s forests, a process that was suppressed for much of the last century. Our forests have evolved over thousands of years with fire, with some of our tree species like the knobcone pine requiring fire to reseed. 

This is the third in a series of blogs highlighting the stories behind the stories of “wolf conservation” under Curt Melcher and Governor Brown’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

On Saturday, April 14th, brewers, beer lovers, and environmental advocates alike gathered to celebrate the forests and public lands that house our watersheds and to support their protection by raising a pint. Great beer begins with clean water after all!

Earlier this month, Oregon State Representative Dallas Heard was appointed to fill the State Senate seat of Jeff Kruse, who resigned this year following the release of an independent investigator's report that confirmed he had engaged in unwelcome physical contact with coworkers in the Oregon legislature.