Latest news with #Oregon-grown
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Drought conditions, pests remain threats to Oregon's forests
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Last year's contributed to the trend of harsh conditions for Oregon forests. About 1.9 million acres of land were impacted by wildfire from July 2024 to October 2024, the Oregon Department of Forestry reported last fall. But the agency's shows drought conditions and 'opportunistic insects' pose the biggest threat to forests, with wildfires adding to that threat. Investigation finds 'bulk quantities' of Oregon-grown cannabis in New York 'A lot of what's feeding into the drought stress of trees that make them prey to insects is feeding into having drier landscapes, maybe some landscapes where fire has been suppressed and fuels have built up, and so having those dry conditions — and a lot of fuels in particular — can be a pretty dramatic effect on the landscape,' ODF Forest Entomologist Christine Buhl told KOIN 6. The department claims its annual survey is the longest-running survey of its kind in the U.S., although it was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The effort calls on trained observers to fly over Oregon's 28 million acres of forested land to assess its health and track the damage by using mapping technology. According to Buhl, the new data has identified certain parts of the state — including portions of the southwest and northeast regions, and east of the Cascades through Central Oregon — as those that are especially dry. Those trees are also especially vulnerable to pests as they lack the moisture needed to defend themselves against insects like native bark beetles. Stressed trees are additionally more susceptible to diseases such as Swiss needle cast, which has been prevalent in the Douglas-fir forests near the coast since the 1990s. While the aerial survey is able to properly assess some of these diseases, Buhl said that the report likely underrepresents the root diseases that are more easily detected on the ground. The entomologist noted that pathologists on both the state and federal level conduct this work, but these roles aren't so common. Man takes stroller with child, gets punched by mom before fleeing, police say 'I will say that, with recent federal cuts, we are losing some of those positions — so further reducing our ability to detect it on the landscape,' she added. Buhl noted that people aren't able to effectively prevent issues like root disease, but landowners could prevent other damages by assessing the density of trees and being 'judicious' with the type of tree that is planted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon's ‘trade surplus' persists as tariffs begin to impact small businesses
PORTLAND, Ore. () — While researchers have highlighted the 'urban doom loop' hitting the City of Portland's economy, a new report highlights a more positive look at Oregon's trade industry. The Portland Metro Chamber's latest data show there were around $42 billion worth of goods and services exported from the state in 2022. This makes Oregon one of 11 states with a 'trade surplus' — meaning that it exports more than it imports to other locations. Alaska Airlines will 'invest more' in stops at Portland International Airport According to the report, approximately 88% of those exporters owned small or medium-sized businesses. The report also shows that 270,735 jobs — about one in eight — are connected to international trade. And exported goods and services made up about 10.3% of the state's Gross Domestic Product last year. Researchers noted that semiconductors have continued to be Oregon's top export, while Mexico has become the state's leading destination for exports. The value of exports into the country rose from $464 million in 2018 to $6.26 billion in 2024. But officials say recent and looming federal tariffs 'are raising red flags.' President Donald Trump's administration has already implemented a 145% tariff on imports from China. Tariffs on most global imports stand at 10%. 'We continue hearing from countless Oregonians whose businesses and livelihoods depend on access to global markets — from distillers in Hood River who import bottles from Asia to fill with their products, to small companies in Portland and farmers statewide who face retaliatory tariffs on the Oregon-grown goods they export,' Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold said in a statement. 'Their stories underscore just how much international trade affects everyday Oregonians, their livelihoods and our state's economy, and why we must do everything possible to support it.' Trump executive order 'another attempt to bully Portland' Portland Metro Chamber's revealed that many local businesses, specifically in the metro area, have already been struggling. The 2025 State of the Economy noted that Portland's post-pandemic recovery has been slower than most major cities, leading to an 'urban doom loop' that causes small companies to shut down and tax revenues to decline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
