Planting Day
Communities for Healthy Forests led more than 100 elementary students on a literal ‘field trip’ to the Hinkle Creek area east of Sutherlin. With help from staff from Roseburg Forest Products, the BLM, US Forest Service, Douglas Forest Protective Association, and the Umpqua Chapter of the Society of American Foresters, the students learned how to […]
The Smoke Dilemma
As wood burns, many chemicals such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone are released. For people with respiratory health issues, the biggest concern with smoke is particles 2.5 microns or smaller (approximately 1/30th the diameter of a human hair), commonly called PM 2.5. These particles, when inhaled, can travel deep into […]
WORKING FORESTS CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
The Whatcom County Forestry Advisory Committee invited researcher Dr. Edie Sonne Hall of Three Trees Consulting to speak at their April meeting and share her insights on how forest management mitigates climate change. The topic is timely as communities, governments and policymakers search for ways to reduce the amount of CO2 gas in our atmosphere to lessen the impacts of a […]
Why Our Forests Need a Trim
How often do you get your hair cut? Odds are you go every couple of months—maybe in the depths of the Covid pandemic, you stretched it to half a year before it became unmanageable. What if you had to wait 10 years for your next trip to the barber? If we won’t wait a decade […]
Why the 2023 Oregon FFA State Convention Helped Restore My Faith in Our Future
Over 2000 students from across the state participated in the FFA Oregon State Convention.By Mark Buckbee, CHF Board Member The Oregon Future Farmers of America (FFA) Oregon State Convention was held March 16 -19 at the Deschutes County Fairground in Redmond. Over 2000 students from across the state participated in the event. All of the […]
Douglas-fir in Klamath Mountains are in ‘decline spiral,’ Oregon State research shows
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Increases in mortality among Douglas-fir in the Klamath Mountains are the result of multiple factors that have the iconic tree in a “decline spiral” in parts of the region, a new study by the Oregon State University College of Forestry and OSU Extension Service indicates. Steve Lundeberg | Oregon State University | […]
Worsening Wildfire Smoke Requires a More Proactive Approach
The U.S. has recently experienced some of its worst wildfire seasons on record, creating unhealthy smoke that affected tens of millions of Americans. Physical health effects from wildfire smoke exposure can range from breathing difficulties to heart failure. Certain populations—including children and older adults—are at higher risk from these effects. Wildfire smoke can also affect […]
The Canopy | Spring 2023
Thank you for visiting the Communities for Healthy Forests newsletter, “The Canopy”. The October edition features articles “Senator Wyden:Please Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle,” By Lee Paterson and “Thinning and Prescribed Fire are Critical Tools for Wildfire Risk Reduction,” By Mark Buckbee. Happy reading.
CHF’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE FEDERAL WILDFIRE EMERGENCY ACT
On January 31, 2023, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, in conjunction with Senators Feinstein, Daines, and Padilla, released the federal Wildfire Emergency Act, aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the western United States. The bill provides up to $250 million to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration and wildfire resilience […]
Melissa Cribbins named Executive Director of Communities for Healthy Forests
Melissa Cribbins was named Executive Director of Communities for Healthy Forests on Jan. 1, 2023, succeeding former Douglas County (OR) Commissioner, Doug Robertson. In her first conversation in her new role, Cribbins gave us a picture of her approach to leading CHF into the future. Communities for Healthy Forests: So, congratulations on being the next […]