Often derided as pests, deer and elk can help young Douglas-fir trees under some conditions

OSU College of Forestry scientists found that deer and elk can play a key role in controlling the broadleaf vegetation, such as alder and maple, that compete with the “crop trees” – the Douglas-fir seedlings – in the replanted clear-cuts deer and elk heavily rely on for forage.

World scientists declare climate emergency, establish global indicators for effective action

A global coalition of scientists led by William J. Ripple and Christopher Wolf of Oregon State University says “untold human suffering” is unavoidable without deep and lasting shifts in human activities that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other factors related to climate change.

Burning Questions: How resilient are forests in the face of insect outbreaks and fire?

Pennsylvania native and graduate student Anna Talucci took a two-pronged approach to studying the natural resilience of insect damaged and burned forests. She tramped into the wilderness, setting up 63 fire-burned plots and measuring fire severity, regeneration and structure.