The Labor Day 2020 windstorm resulted in five simultaneous “megafires”– fires greater than 100,000 acres in size – in Oregon, as well as 12 other fires ranging from 112 to 50,951 acres. All these fires either started or blew up on Sept. 7 and 8, 2020, and in a matter of days more than 1 million acres burned. 

Oregon is home to many different types of forests, with varying species of trees, plants and wildlife. The forest type that dominates a region depends on climate, elevation, wind and rainfall, temperature and soil conditions.

Forest Fact Break: Forest Ty

It is a cornerstone of Oregon’s forest practices rules. Requiring landowners to promptly replant trees after a timber harvest means future Oregonians will enjoy the same forest resources we do today, including wood products, healthy watersheds, recreational opportunities, and thriving fish and wildlife habitat.In a typical year, Oregon forest landowners plant about 40 million seedlings every year. And far more trees are planted each year than are harvested.

Tree Planting in FebruaryOregon tree planting crews

Seedlings, seedlings and more seedlingsPlanting.Landowners must complete replanting of harvested ground within two years.Ensuring success.Within six years of harvest, the young trees must be “free-to-grow.” That means they are vigorous and tall enough to out-compete grass and brush, and will grow into a new forest.Trees per acre.Depending on the site, the rules require that at least 100 to 200 trees per acre survive during reforestation, but landowners typically plant about 400 seedlings per acre.

Traveling across the state, you soon discover that Oregon is home to a wide range of trees. There are 30 native coniferous species and 37 native species of broadleaf trees. Oregon varies greatly in terms of elevation, temperature, wind, rainfall and soil composition. Combinations of all these factors help determine the dominant tree species of an area.

Forest landowners and managers are hard at work every day in forests throughout the state. They ensure that trees are thinned, spaced and growing properly, and that excessive dry brush is cleared and other fire hazards minimized. All this is done while maintaining wildlife habitat, biodiversity and water quality.

Forest Fac

62,000 OregoniansThat’s the number of individuals who own between 10 and 5,000 acres of forestland in our state. Their holdings are often referred to as "family forestlands," because many of these properties have been handed down through generations.The amount of timber coming from family forestlands varies greatly depending on market demand for wood products. Family forestlands accounted for about 12 percent of Oregon’s annual timber harvest in 2022.

Old-growth forests are more complex than any other kind of forest, and they are home to a diversity of animals, insects, fungi, mosses and lichens. These older forests are a crucial piece of Oregon’s forest mosaic, and provide habitat for threatened species such as the northern spotted owl and the marbled murrelet.Logging of old-growth forests virtually never occurs in Oregon. Today, an old-growth forest in Oregon is much more likely to be lost to wildfire than to timber harvest. What little is harvested is usually done to restore forest health or protect public safety.

Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mostly from humans burning fossil fuels, are contributing to warmer global temperatures 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 solid 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: