For too long, many people did not fully see Oregon's forests, for the trees. The forest is a complex, integrated system whose sustainability is essential to the health of the whole earth. Because human activity impacts all aspects of the ecosystem, we are challenged to make wise choices among often-conflicting wants and needs. Oregon State University research has become key to the long-term understanding of forests, which in turn is key to our largest environmental issues. Landslides, floods, fire, windthrow, insect outbreaks . . .
Natural hazards cause many millions of dollars in damage and civil litigation in Oregon.
For example, in the past 50 years, three extreme floods, with associated landslides, have occurred in western Oregon. They were associated with warm rain falling on deep snowpacks. Forest harvesting and road construction appear to have increased the potential of large floods, although flood-protection dams have mitigated actual damage. These facts have important implications for the siting of roads and housing, to minimize human risk. While natural processes are often characterized as disasters, researchers are coming to understand them as part of the evolution of landscapes, with many ecological benefits.