Last summer, wildfires encroached on the daily lives of Oregonians. Hazardous smoke drifted into our communities, highways closed and thousands were evacuated from their homes because of fire danger.
Fire seasons like the one Oregon experienced in
2017
could become the new normal if we don’t take action, according to Paul Hessburg, a research ecologist with the
Pacific Northwest Research Station
.
Speaking next month in Portland, Hessburg will present his celebrated talk “Era of Megafires.” OFRI is co-sponsoring
the event
April 11 at the
World Forestry Center
. In his presentation, which starts at 7 p.m., Hessburg will talk about the risks that “megafires” – wildfires of 100,000 acres or more – pose for both forests and communities, and what we need to know to make smart decisions about fire and land management in the future.
As Oregon and other western states suffer worsening fire seasons, it’s time for us to discuss where we go from here. Events like this help get the conversation started.
For the forest,
Paul Barnum
Executive Director
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New videos for landowners
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OFRI’s Landowner Education program has released three new informational videos.
Two of the videos offer fire safety tips, and a third highlights special business and tax considerations for Oregon forest landowners. All three were produced in partnership with the Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
The “
Making Your Forestland Fire-Safe
” video stars Kyle Reed of the Douglas Forest Protective Association and OSU Extension’s Alicia Jones, both of whom discuss ways to make forestland more resilient to wildfire.
“
How to Make Your Home and Property Fire-Safe
” features Keep Oregon Green Association President Kris Babbs and Tom Fields, ODF fire prevention coordinator. Filmed at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, the video gives an overview of fire safety precautions for homes and surrounding property.
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Lectures discuss forestry's future
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Oregon State University is hosting a series of lectures this spring focusing on the future of forestry.
The 2018 Starker Lecture Series takes on the theme “What’s Next: The Future of Managing for Healthy Productive Forests.” The series kicked off this month, and it continues with two more lectures in April and May. The free public lectures are co-sponsored by the Starker family, OFRI and the OSU College of Forestry.
Carlton Owens, president of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, will give an
April 25 lecture
titled “Working with Nature – the Century of Forests and Forest Products.” On May 23, Connie Harrington, a research forester with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, will discuss how trees respond to climate change in
a lecture
titled “How Should We Manage Our Forests in the Face of Uncertainty?”
Both lectures start at 3:30 p.m. and will be held at LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26
th
St., on the OSU campus in Corvallis.
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Volunteers sought for Envirothon
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OFRI is seeking volunteers to help out with
Oregon Envirothon
, an annual natural-resources education competition for high school students held at The Oregon Garden in Silverton.
This year’s competition takes place May 4, and about 250 students from across Oregon are expected to attend. Volunteers are needed for morning and afternoon shifts, or to help throughout the full-day event.
Volunteer tasks include escorting students, scoring tests, judging and registration, among other duties. OFRI is also seeking a volunteer photographer who can help document the event.
Each volunteer will receive a free T-shirt and lunch on the day of the competition. Those interested in volunteering at Envirothon should contact Julie Woodward at 503-807-1614 or
woodward@ofri.org
.
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Animation highlights forest diversity
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A new animated video from the North American Forest Partnership gives viewers a sense of the diversity found in the continent’s forests and among the people who manage them.
The educational animation, “Different Forests, Diverse Outcomes,” discusses how forests across North America are managed for different objectives such as producing wood products or for hunting and recreation. It also delves into the diversity of forest owners, which includes families, individuals, companies, governments and tribes.
The
North American Forest Partnership
(NAFP) is a diverse community of more than 100 members, including OFRI, with a shared commitment to forest stewardship and the management of sustainable, healthy forests.
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OFRI budget hearing scheduled
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The OFRI
board of directors
will hold a public hearing for the Institute’s proposed fiscal year 2018-19 budget at 9:05 a.m. on April 13, during the board’s regularly scheduled meeting in Wilsonville.
Prior to the public hearing, the proposed budget will be available for review March 30 through April 13 at two locations: the offices of the Oregon State Forester, Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem; and at the OFRI office, 317 SW Sixth Ave., Suite 400, Portland.
The hearing and board meeting will be held at Collins Companies, 29100 SW Town Center Loop West, Suite 300, Wilsonville. Following the hearing, the board is scheduled to adopt the 2018-19 budget.
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Blog: We smelled the smoke. Now it's time to wake up.
A new post by OFRI Executive Director Paul Barnum delves into the far-reaching impacts of Oregon’s 2017 wildfire season, one of the worst on record, and why it should serve as a wake-up call to discuss how we co-exist with a fire-based forest ecosystem.
Read the blog
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"Era of Megafires" student event
Oregon high school students have the opportunity to see Pacific Northwest Research Station landscape ecologist Paul Hessburg’s April 11 “Era of Megafires” presentation before the public. A free student event will be held that morning from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the World Forestry Center. OFRI is providing bus transportation reimbursement.
Register
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2018 Wood Design Awards announced
WoodWorks – Wood Products Council has announced the 2018 Wood Design Awards, including three projects in Oregon: Oregon Episcopal School in Portland, Cultural Crossing at the Portland Japanese Garden, and L’Angolo Estate in Newberg. The awards celebrate excellence in wood-building designs across the country.
Learn more
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New forestry scholarship
A new scholarship is available to high school graduates from Clatsop County who wish to pursue post-secondary education in forestry or environmental sciences. The John and Peg Christie Scholarship fund honors the memory of the Christies, who managed a tree farm in Clatsop County.
Learn more
.
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Oregon Forest Resources Institute
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The Oregon Legislature created the Oregon Forest Resources Institute in 1991 to advance public understanding of forests, forest management and forest products and to encourage sound forestry through landowner education.
A 13-member board of directors governs OFRI. It is funded by a portion of the forest products harvest tax.
Copyright © 2018, Oregon Forest Resources Institute. All Rights Reserved.
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