Restoration of dry forests in eastern Oregon: A field guide

Dry Forest landscapes dominated by pine and mixed-conifer forests composed of ponderosa pine and associated coniferous species, such as Douglas-fir and white or grand fir, are extensive in western North America, including the Pacific Northwest (Franklin and Dyrness, 1988). These forests typically occupy landscapes that are moisture limited and historically experienced disturbance regimes that included frequent wildfire. On many sites fires were predominantly low severity but mixed-severity and, occasionally, even high-severity wildfire occurred, the latter primarily in areas at higher elevations and on sites with higher productivity (Perry et al. 2011).

These Dry Forest landscapes have been dramatically modified by human activities during the last 150 years throughout their extent (Franklin and Agee 2003, Noss et al., 2006), including eastern Oregon. These changes have significantly altered the composition and structure of these forests and, most importantly, their potential responses to disturbances, such as wildfire, drought, and insects. There is an emerging consensus among a broad array of stakeholders, scientists, and managers that restoration of these forests to more resilient conditions would have many environmental and social benefits.