Why do coniferous trees in the Pacific Northwest grow so fast, so large, and live so long?

By Richard Waring, Joe Landsberg / On August 23rd, 2022
When we were growing up, we thought that the only really tall trees in the western U.S. were giant redwoods in northwestern California. It wasn’t until Richard moved to Oregon in the early 1960s that he discovered not only are redwoods exceptionally large, but that all the conifers (e.g., spruces, firs, cedars, hemlocks, and pines) grow taller and can live longer than their relatives elsewhere in the world (see Table 1).

Determining When Trees Are Drought Stressed

By Richard Waring / On February 18th, 2019
Unlike most annual crops, the roots of long-lived trees can penetrate through soils to great depth to reach water (Figure 1).  If we can’t tell how deeply roots penetrate, how do we determine when trees run out of water?  One way is to monitor the moisture status of leaves and twigs, because these are connected through the sapwood in branches, stems, and roots to water deep underground.

Got Water? Thank (and Save) a Forest

By Maggie Hart Stebbins, Paul Summerfelt / On March 29th, 2018
If you’ve got clean, abundant water, thank a forest — and do what you can to protect it. Don’t wait for the well, or the taps, to run dry.

Forests Against Trump

By Joe Landsberg, Richard Waring / On November 2nd, 2017
Wouldn’t it be a splendid irony if reaction to Trump’s short-sighted stupidity led to an increase in tree planting that might otherwise be difficult to achieve?

Rampant Wildfires Will Affect Our Drinking Water

By Edward Struzik / On October 2nd, 2017
In a world of bigger, hotter fires, it is time to think of forests as vital infrastructure, and to invest in preserving these resources for the future
foreword Friday

#ForewordFriday: International Day of Forests Edition

By Katharine Sucher / On March 24th, 2017
International Day of Forests was on Tuesday, March 21. While reflecting on the day, we asked Joe Landsberg and Richard Waring, authors of Forests in Our Changing World, if days like these have any meaning. Here's what they had to say: "Most specially designated days, beyond religious and memorialm days, have little meaning for the vast majority of people.We have arbor day in this country that involves the supervised action of planting trees.

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