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Can one species of beetle wipe out Oregon’s entire population of ash trees? Yes. Has that species of beetle been detected in Oregon? Yes.  

On June 30, 2022, the emerald ash borer, an exotic beetle that feeds on and kills ash trees, was discovered in Forest Grove, Oregon. When the news broke, scientists with the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership were devastated. A long email chain quickly formed with messages like: “VERY SAD” and “BAD NEWS”.  

Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia)  is on a short list of trees that are uniquely suited to Pacific Northwest riparian habitats, able to withstand

The final phase of the $32 million Steigerwald Reconnection Project begins on August 8, 2022, at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge will close until September 30, 2022, to complete the trail system, install salmon monitoring equipment, finalize floodplain habitat improvements, and remove construction roads and the old parking lot. Visitor amenities, including interpretive message boards and benches, will also be completed during the temporary closure.  

Heavy equipment will be on-site completing the final phase of the restoration work, making it unsafe for members of the

After two years of closure to complete the largest habitat restoration project in the history of the lower Columbia River, Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge reopens to the public on May 1. Construction on the Steigerwald Reconnection Project began in 2019 to reduce flood risk, reconnect 965 acres of Columbia River floodplain, and increase recreation opportunities at the refuge.  

The Steigerwald Reconnection Project benefits juvenile salmon and steelhead migrating to the ocean by increasing Columbia River floodplain habitat between the Bonneville Dam and Willamette River by 19%. It

Before embarking on summer vacation, students from Spring Mountain, Oak Grove, Whitcomb and View Acres elementary schools completed a large restoration project at Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone, Oregon. Over the course of eight days in May and June, 13 classrooms of fourth- and fifth-grade students worked in a quarter-area area to remove 100 cubic yards of blackberries and English ivy covering the ground and climbing up cottonwood trees. This work improved the riparian habitat at the park located along the Willamette River.

 “[I am impressed] at how much of an impact was made at the

The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is charged with coordinating and advancing policies, strategies, and innovations to achieve substantial and permanent reductions in pollution and other activities that contribute to the climate crisis. On Wednesday, August 3 at 10 a.m., the committee convened in Astoria for a hearing titled “Building Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities: Perspectives from Oregon’s State, Local and Tribal Partners.”

The hearing examined challenges facing Oregon’s coastal communities and ecosystems due to the climate crisis and explored opportunities for