Understory

Prolonged wet weather and intense rainfall affect resources and services provided by forests and grasslands and can present safety challenges. This fact sheet provides a list of potential management actions developed through science-management collaborations and review of the best available science. These actions can help to reduce negative effects of wetter-than-normal conditions. Combined with local experience and expertise, these actions can help in preparation and response to wet seasons.

The record-breaking El Niño event currently underway may require land managers to shift their expectations for the coming year. ENSO-related changes in temperature and precipitation influence disturbance regimes and affect the ability of forests and rangelands to provide important ecosystem services, including forest products, fresh water, and recreation. Forest Service Research and Development scientists and partners study how ENSO influences ecosystems—research that can help forest managers respond to and understand ENSO effects. This sheet highlights Forest Service research that explores sp...

A potentially record-setting El Niño event is underway in the Pacific Ocean. Changes in equatorial Pacific Ocean temperatures cause changes in atmospheric circulation, altering how precipitation and air temperature are distributed across the U.S. This fact sheet presents a summary of what El Niño is and how it may effect National Forest Service regions in the U.S.

Prescribed fire decreases wildfire risk and improves forest health. In Washington state, over a third of forests are privately owned, and private landowners are generally unable to use prescribed fire. In south-central Washington, the Mt. Adams Prescribed Burn Association is educating, empowering, and equipping private landowners to use prescribed fir​​e.

2026 hunt map for the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range.See how-to guide for using Avenza MapsTM* to download the hunt map for the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range on iOS and Android devices.

An emerging fungal disease is threatening one of the State of Hawaii's most important tree species. This fact sheet summarizes the importance of the ohi'a tree, describes Rapid Ohi'a Death (ROD) and the ways it spreads, and highlights ongoing research into effective methods to slow the spread of ROD.

This drought status update is produced using the most recent data and cover a seasonal range of outlooks, including current conditions, seasonal drought outlooks, and severe fire potential. It is broken down by Forest Service region. The update covers conditions for June 2026, and projections through August, 2026.

A Climate Resilience Guide for Urban Forestsin the Northwestexplains the potential effects of climate change on Northwest urban forests and discuss strategies thaturbanplanners,foresters,and arborists can implement to ensure the long-term sustainability of community tree canopies.AninteractiveExcelspreadsheetoftree species and cultivarscommonly available for urban plantings inIdaho, Oregon, and Washington is also available to accompany the Urban Forest Guide.This database canbe usedto help evaluate thesuitabilityofdifferent speciesfor a given region within the three statesbased oncharacteristi...

People and ecosystems throughout the West depend on snowmelt to replenish groundwater, waterways, and soil moisture. Snow droughts occurs when snowpack is abnormally low, relative to the time of year and location. This type of drought can have significant economic and ecological effects. This fact sheet, part of the Drought in the West fact sheet series, explains the two types of snow drought, gives more details about their effects, and offers additional resources.

Northwest forests are home to many species of native insects that live in and feed on trees. These insects thin old, stressed, or sick trees and diversify forest structure. Under certain conditions, forest insects can also cause significant tree mortality when their populations expand in an outbreak. This fact sheet summarizes the conditions that effect insect outbreaks, highlights two prominent species, and presents some general considerations for managing insect outbreaks.This sheet was produced as a partnership between the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center and the USDA...