Trees

Annual cold snaps have kept some invasive tree pests in check, but outbreaks could become more common with warming temperatures.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has asked the community what to do with the beloved but decaying ‘Muscle Tree’ at Yaquina Bay State Park.

“Right now is a good time to identify if you have an ash tree because they are leafing out right now,” says an invasive species specialist. “It’s OK if you don’t even know what an ash tree is. We have a guide.”

Oregon received more than $58 million in federal grants to help plant and maintain trees, but much of those funds have not been reimbursed.

Christmas trees are big business out West, but a hotter climate means challenges for tree growers.

Multiple people died in January when severe winds and large amounts of ice knocked over trees across the Willamette Valley.

This summer, the invasive emerald ash borer beetle was found in four Oregon counties. So far, none have been detected in Oregon State Parks, and the parks department wants to keep it that way for as long as possible.

The metallic-green beetle has made its way into Marion, Yamhill and Clackamas counties — miles away from the previously known infestations in Washington County.

Two new pests in the Willamette Valley could decimate trees and worsen the 'urban heat island' effect that makes some neighborhoods hotter than others

The proposal, presented in a draft environmental analysis on Friday, outlines ways national forests should prioritize preserving old-growth trees. It adds onto similar regulations for Pacific Northwest forests.