OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Departmental News

Breaking down the wall: communication at the interface of environmental policy and science

FES professor Lisa Ganio is a panelist in an upcoming Women in Policy and Women in Science public event, "Breaking down the wall: communication at the interface of environmental policy and science".   This event will be held on April 25 from 6:00-7:30pm in MU 109.  Panelists will be discussing the need to bridge the communication gap in environmental science and policy in the face of critical changes to the environment, as well as answering audience questions.

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Loss of predators affecting ecosystem health

A survey on the loss in the Northern Hemisphere of large predators, particularly wolves, concludes that current populations of moose, deer, and other large herbivores far exceed their historic levels and are contributing to disrupted ecosystems.  FES professor Bill Ripple was the lead author of this study, and FES professor emeritus Robert Beschta a co-author.

Study: Impact of warming climate doesn’t always translate to streamflow

An analysis of 35 headwater basins in the United States and Canada found that the impact of warmer air temperatures on streamflow rates was less than expected in many locations, suggesting that some ecosystems may be resilient to certain aspects of climate change.  FES adjunct professor Julia Jones was the lead author of this study.

FES newsletter released

The Forest Ecosystems and Society March 2012 newsletter is now available!

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Foraging Oregon truffles is dirty work, but the payoff is delicious

It wasn't the most auspicious beginning to a day of truffle foraging during the recent Oregon Truffle Festival in Eugene. Dr. Daniel Luoma of Oregon State University began his introduction to Oregon truffles with the words, "There are 350 different kinds of truffles in the Northwest and most of them are really good squirrel food."

Quantifying carbon sequestration over North America

The contemporary carbon budget of North America includes large emissions from fossil fuel combustion, but also significant sequestration in forestland and cropland.  A large research team, including David Turner from the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, recently developed a new approach to estimating the continental scale terrestrial carbon balance.

Quartet for the Earth

Sarah Frey's research is highlighted in OSU's Terra Magazine.  It all started in 2008 at an American Ornithologists’ Union conference in Portland, where Sarah ran into OSU forest ecologist Matt Betts, an acquaintance from an earlier population-modeling workshop. “How about starting your Ph.D. next month?” he asked. A few weeks later, she was enrolled in the College of Forestry with a minor in Ecosystem Informatics.

Biscuit Fire 10 Years Later

Bernard Bormann, FES courtesy faculty, was featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting's Oregon Field Guide.  He had been studying the forests’ of the Siskiyou mountains for years. When the 500,000 acre Biscuit fire burned through his research plots, he first thought all was lost. But in the 10 years since the fire, he’s been able to compare life before and after fire to reveal an amazing amount of new information about how life returns to the forest after fire.

Secretary Salazar Visits Oregon To Promote Ecological Timber Sales

Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar announced Tuesday he wants the Bureau of Land Management to expand an experimental timber project that incorporate ecological principles.  Two forestry professors, Jerry Franklin of the University of Washington and Norm Johnson of Oregon State University, have developed the concept for the BLM’s first three such pilot timber sales, which mimic some of the effects of fire on the forest ecosystem.

New forestry projects show promise in Southern Oregon, professors say

Initial results from experimental timber projects in southern Oregon indicate it's possible to retain old trees, protect watersheds and wildlife and still provide jobs, a pair of forestry professors said. Jerry Franklin from the University of Washington and Norm Johnson of Oregon State University released a report summarizing their work so far on three pilot projects on Bureau of Land Management forests.

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