The structure and composition of mixed-conifer forest (MCF) in central Oregon has been altered by fire exclusion and logging. The resulting increased density, spatial contagion, and loss of fire resistant trees decrease the resiliency of this ecosystem to fire, drought, and insects. The historical and current composition and structure of...
This thesis examines forest history of a portion of the Douglas-fir Region: Soap Creek Valley, a 15,000 acre sub-basin of the Luckiamute River in northern Benton County, Oregon. The primary reasons for the research were to test oral history methodology, document sub-basin scale forest cover pattern changes, and determine basic...
Forage availability, diets, distribution, and productivity were
compared for Roosevelt elk, Cervus elaphus roosevelti, using improved
(i.e. seeded, fertilized, and grazed) and untreated areas of the Oregon
Coast Range. Seasonal forage availability was substantially different
on 1-year-old improved and untreated clearcuts, but the differences
diminished by clearcut age 4 and...
The effects of forest cutting on forested systems and the biotic components of those systems has been at the forefront of scientific research. The inventory and monitoring of biodiversity is one technique used for measuring the effects of forest management. Because bioinventory studies are expensive, indicator species are often sought...
Changes in climate caused by increased concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the Earth’s atmosphere have led land and ocean surface temperatures to increase by 0.85°C and sea level to increase by 19 cm relative to preindustrial times. Global climate change will lead to further alterations in mean temperature and...
Urban forests are an essential green infrastructure of our cities. Due to the proximity of urban trees to more than 250 million people and the grey infrastructure within United States cities, urban forests are uniquely positioned to provide a host of social, environmental and economic benefits. Careful management that maximizes...