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Wednesday, August 29, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
‘Droughty’ soils model
could aid forest health
FESTIVAL: Annual event
kicks off on Friday,
August 31
Continued from page 3
By Chris Branam
Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, Ore. –
Scientists have developed a
new approach to modeling
potentially drought-prone
soils in Pacific Northwest
forests, which could aid
natural resource managers to
prepare forested landscapes
for a changing climate.
The study, published in
the journal (Forest Ecology
and Management), presents
a “droughty” soil index
model that can aid land
management activities that
enhance forest health and
productivity, said study lead
author Chris Ringo, a senior
faculty research assistant at
Oregon State University.
“There
are
widely
different
abilities
of
different soil types to
absorb, store, and supply
moisture to vegetation
throughout the year,” Ringo
said. “We demonstrated
that the combination of
climatic information and
information on physical soil
characteristics does a better
job of identifying soils that
experience prolonged periods
of low summer moisture
levels than either set of
information does by itself.”
The study, a collaboration
of OSU and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture
Forest Service, defines
droughty soils as those that
have a propensity to dry out
during the summer months
and thus may be particularly
vulnerable when prolonged
drought occurs.
Knowing how much
moisture forest soils hold
is important in the Pacific
Northwest, as over two-
thirds of the region’s annual
precipitation occurs between
October and March. An
average of less than two
inches of rainfall occur in the
summer months.
The model can also help
fire managers identify sites to
install soil moisture sensors
to assist in fire danger
modeling.
In addition, the model
can assist the Forest Service
as it targets areas in the
Pacific Northwest that are
degraded for landscape
restoration, said Ringo, a
researcher in OSU’s College
of Agricultural Sciences.
Low soil moisture in
combination with high
temperatures can induce
significant
stresses
on forests, increasing
vulnerability to attacks of
insect and disease, as well as
increasing wildfire risk.
To model the likelihood
that
soils
experience
prolonged summer drying,
researchers used readily
available spatial datasets
depicting available water
supply, soil depth, and
evapotranspiration — the
process by which water
is transferred from the
land to the atmosphere by
evaporation.
this inspires ideas for things
that we desperately need. I
also enjoy painting my crazy
vivid dreams.”
Phallon is very excited
about the classes.
“Each child will paint
their own masterpiece,” she
says. “This is for kids who
enjoy art and ones who are
less confident in their abili-
ties. I try to take every day
shapes to help kids build on
the fundamentals easily and
with confidence. We often
enjoy several ways to apply
the paint in fun ways.”
There will be a $15 charge
for the class; call the BBR
Activity Center at 541-595-
1282 to register.
The public is invited to let
their kids and grandkids be
creative while they browse
the works of the many artists
that will be displaying their
art. in the beautiful setting of
Black Butte Ranch.
A RIVER DOES RUN THROUGH IT
LET ME FIND YOUR
DREAM HOME ON
THE METOLIUS.
Winfield Durham, Broker
541-420-9801
We’ve moved! 330 W. Hood Ave., Sisters
LICENSED BROKERS IN THE STATE OF OREGON
Summer Forecast For
Buying & Selling Real Estate...
Sunny Showings, Smooth Closings.
Ross Kennedy
Principal Broker
Luxury Home Specialist
541-408-1343
Serving Black Butte Ranch
h & The
h Greater Sisters Area
PHOTO PROVIDED
Megan Pahallon enjoys teaching art for kids.
Art at the Ranch is pre-
sented by Black Butte Ranch
Association and Black Butte
Ranch Art Guild August 31
and September 1.
The event kicks off Friday
evening, August 31, with an
artists’ reception and silent
auction at BBR Lodge, from
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. On dis-
play in the Lodge will be
works of several artists fea-
tured in the next day’s art
fair. Coyote Willow will
perform.
Saturday’s art fair on the
Lakeside Promenade runs
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., fea-
turing a wide variety of
Northwest artists and crafters
displaying their work.
Live music will provide
a festive mood for the day,
featuring The Anvil Blasters,
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Honey
Don’t from 1 to 4 p.m.
The annual Plein Air
Paint Out will take place
from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Artists
will be creating their own
works of art, right before
the eyes of the public. The
People’s Choice Award will
be announced at 2 p.m.