As summer heat waves hit and the risk of wildfire looms, I cannot help but fear for our community. I wonder when these threats will descend upon the forests that surround the Willamette Valley.
After attending Oregon State University’s June 5 community input session for the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest, I feel an even greater sense of worry and outrage. The proposed models for management of these public forests show little regard for resilience against wildfires. As numerous meeting attendees and experts pointed out, the models presented have the potential to significantly increase vulnerability to wildfires.