Welcome to the Friends of OSU Old Growth website. Our mission is simple: raise awareness of the need to protect the remaining old trees and forests on lands managed by Oregon State University.
The ecological, cultural, historical, and spiritual value provided by Old Growth trees greatly exceeds the monetary value gained by harvesting them. Of OSU’s ~15,000 acres of managed lands, only about 3 percent consists of old-growth forests set aside from logging.
In May of 2019, OSU logged ~16 acres of forest containing dozens of Old Growth trees just north of Corvallis. One of these trees was found to be at least 420 years old – roughly three times as old as OSU! Concerns about possible future harvests of OSU’s unprotected Old Growth in this same area prompted us to form this group.
On October 21st, 2019, the Dean of OSU’s College of Forestry announced he has changed the status of the remaining 36 acres of Old Growth near Sulphur Springs to “mature forest reserve”, thus protecting it for future generations. This stand was formerly part of their “future harvest program”. While we are pleased with this progress, many other sections of old forest remain unprotected. We will continue to advocate for protection of old-growth stands and trees on lands managed by OSU.
Please help us spread the word to protect OSU’s remaining old-growth trees and forests by signing our petition!