The Oaks Will Not Wait

Oak woodlands, savannas, and associated prairie communities historically covered a sizeable portion of the Pacific Northwest, especially in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. In recent years, interest has increased in restoring these white oak (Quercus garryana) and prairie communities.

According to a recent study by the Forest Sciences Laboratory (USFS), the time to act is now. "We evaluated the effect of alternative management scenarios [and] the results indicate that the window of opportunity for restoring oak and prairie landscapes in the Puget Sound lowlands is small, and aggressive management is needed within the next several decades."