Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mostly from humans burning fossil fuels, are contributing to global warming and climate change. This rise in the average temperature of the land and water on Earth has contributed to melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and longer and more intense wildfire seasons, among other environmental impacts.

It starts with photosynthesisForest carbon sequestration starts with photosynthesis, the process plants use to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Chloroplasts inside leaves and needles use carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil, and energy from sunlight to produce glucose, a simple sugar. Trees use glucose to make wood, storing carbon in the process. Oxygen is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct.

Forests are complex ecosystems where connections between the trees, plants and animals and environmental factors such as climate, rainfall and soil conditions are not always obvious. Scientific research to better understand forest ecosystems informs the use of forest management techniques that help keep forests healthy and improve fish and wildlife habitat.

Wood isn’t the only resource provided by our forests. Streams originating in forests supply water for Oregonians to drink, use in their homes and businesses, and irrigate their fields.Forest soils provide natural filtration that keeps streams clean and water quality high. Most of Oregon’s municipal water systems use water that originates in forests, including areas managed for wood production. The quality of this water is some of the best in the nation.

Photosynthesis is a natural process by which trees and plants use energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air to make the food they need to live and grow. By storing carbon above and below the ground, the trees and plants in forests contribute to the production of oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis and carbonIn addition to providing us with oxygen that we breathe, forests and photosynthesis also play a vital role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping mitigate the harmful impacts excess carbon dioxide emissions can have on the environment.

There are two main types of trees: broadleaf trees and conifers. Broadleaf trees have wide, flat leaves. Conifers, which are the most common type of tree found in Oregon forests, have narrow leaves that look like needles or scales.Broadleaf trees generally have leaves that change color, drop off in the fall and are regrown in the spring. These trees essentially “hibernate” during the winter. When the sun shines more in the spring, the trees grow new leaves.

Oregon depends on its forests in many ways. They help filter drinking water, provide habitat for a diverse array of plants and animals, supply oxygen, moderate temperatures and store atmospheric carbon. Forests are a wonderful playground and quiet outdoor retreat. By supplying us with timber, a renewable resource we use to make lumber, paper and heat, forests also support jobs for tens of thousands of Oregonians, especially in rural communities.Forests provide environmental, social and economic benefits to all Oregonians, now and into the future.

Forest Fact Break: SustainabilityThis 90-second animated video looks at forest sustainability. How do we protect our forests for the future, while also providing the wood and paper products we use every day? It’s a head-scratcher, isn’t it? Forest managers and scientists are working to find a balance to ensure long-term forest sustainability in Oregon. This video is part of OFRI’s Forest Fact Breaks series, which uses bold animated graphics, sound effects and narration to teach about natural resource topics in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

Oregon’s forests provide a host of benefits to our state, including clean air and water, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation and scenic beauty. But our forests are vulnerable to multiple threats. Some are natural factors such as fire, insects, disease, or wind and ice storms. Others, such as climate change, invasive species and forestland conversion, are a result of human activity. Each threat can have a devastating impact on the landscape, offsetting the careful balance required for a forest to stay healthy and resilient.

Wildfires are a natural occurrence in Oregon’s forests, especially in the state’s “dry forests,” where periodic burns actually contribute to overall forest health. Many plants and trees have adapted to wildfires, and some species can’t survive without them. For example, a lodgepole pine needs heat from wildfires for its cones to open and release seeds. In central and eastern Oregon, periodic low-intensity wildfires burn away smaller trees and brush. This fosters the regrowth of new trees and plants.

Forest collaborative groupsIn central and eastern Oregon, forest collaborative groups are bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from the conservation community and the timber industry, to find consensus on improving the fire resiliency of public forests.

Insects are small, but they pose a big threat to Oregon’s forests.Pests such as bark beetles can detect when a tree is stressed from drought, root disease or storm damage. That’s when they attack, burrowing through tree bark to lay their eggs. Bark beetles often kill trees that are already suffering, and the results can be devastating, especially in central and eastern Oregon.

Climate change amplifies the effects of forest threats, such as fire and insects. Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts in some parts of Oregon are impacting forests in a number of ways, according to researchers from Oregon State University’s College of Forestry and Portland State University’s School of the Environment. This includes contributing to longer, more intense fire seasons and increased insect and disease outbreaks.

An entirely human-caused threat to forests is conversion to other land uses. In other parts of the world, destruction of forestland for agricultural use continues to be a major threat. But when forestland is lost in Oregon, it tends to happen because of residential or commercial development.

Oregon’s forests are home to an array of wildlife. This interactive guide provides a snapshot of the variety of forest-dwelling animals found in the state.Protecting forestland from development is a great way to minimize habitat loss for species that rely on forests. Forest landowners can also use forest management techniques to maintain, enhance and even create habitat for birds, mammals and amphibians while still managing lands for timber production.

OregonForests.org examines complex forest issues and provides a broad overview on a variety of topics. Of course, sometimes people just have questions about the basics.Below is a list of frequently asked questions. These questions have been answered by working foresters.Don’t see your forest-related question answered here? ASK ONE OF OUR FORESTERS.Frequently asked questions:

Oregonians want healthy forests. We all want good salmon runs. We all want economic stability. We all want more common ground.

OFRI Board of Directors meetings2026 ScheduleNext meetings:Board of Directors MeetingJuly 16, 2026Salem, ORAgenda, materials

A clearcut is an area of forestland where most of the standing trees are logged at the same time and a few trees remain post-harvest. Forested buffers are left around streams and lakes, and the area is replanted within two years of harvest. The practice of clearcutting has changed dramatically in recent years in response to public concerns, scientific findings and advanced harvest practices.

Forest Fact Break: Clearcutting

Forest Harvest Methods: Clearcutting

The Rediscovery Forest, co-sponsored by the Oregon Forest Resources Institute and The Oregon Garden, is an actively managed working forest that is used for educational purposes. It is located in the park-like environment of The Oregon Garden, an 80-acre botanical garden in Silverton. Visitors to the 15-acre forest can learn about different types of forests and discover why forest management is essential to sustaining our quality of life in Oregon.

Harvest at the Rediscovery ForestTo promote more growth and long-term health in the dominate 40-year old trees a commercial thinning operation was conducted. Local contractors used a computer-aided mechanical harvester that felled and delimbed selected trees and then bucked the logs. Following nearby on a trail of limbs left by the harvester to minimize soil disturbance, a forwarder then picked up the logs. In total, 10 loads of logs were hauled to local saw and chip mills.

No matter where you are this very moment, chances are there’s a product made with wood right within your reach. Oregon dominates U.S. production of softwood lumber and plywood. Today it is also a leader in engineered wood, and home to the first mill in the United States to manufacture structurally certified cross-laminated timber or CLT. This means your house or apartment, or even your office building, could have been built using wood products made right here in the state.

Forest Fact Break: Wood ProductsThis 9

Made in OregonOregon’s wood products industry is a traded sector, with close to 75 percent of all products made here sold outside the state. This generates revenue that supports mill jobs in Oregon timber towns. Here are some of the many different types of products that can be made from trees harvested in Oregon:

Forest Fact Break: Green Building

Learn more about forest products and green buildingHere are some of the many different types of products that can be made from trees harvested in Oregon:

The World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainability is at the core of Oregon's laws regarding forest practices and land use planning. Oregon law states that the continued growing and harvesting of trees is the leading use of private forestland. And it requires landowners to protect soil, air, water and wildlife habitat for future generations.