From Lane County Extension

Dr. Dave Shaw, Forest Health Specialist at Oregon State University, will be in Lane County on March 6 to discuss some of the major insect and disease epidemics impacting forests in Oregon.

These include two non-native diseases (sudden oak death and Port-Orford-cedar root disease) and a native foliage disease of Douglas-fir called Swiss needle cast.

He’ll also discuss mountain pine beetle, pine butterfly and western spruce budworm.

From the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will seek public comments on Oregon administrative rule changes affecting Oregon’s ocean shore. OPRD is responsible for the management of the ocean shore state recreation area under OAR 736-021-0060.

These rules were last revised in 1996. Since then, the numbers of visitors and kinds of recreation have grown and changed, as have natural resource protection activities.  The current draft rule changes, as well as historical and cultural sites, on the ocean shore, and make it easier for visitors to understand and locate all rules pertinent to ocean shore management.

From Lane County

Have you noticed that the City of Florence is getting greener? Styrofoam recycling drop-off sites have sprung up at several locations around town. You can now dispose of unwanted drugs safely at the local police department. Corks and batteries are collected for recycling at city hall. Composting of food waste is on the rise. You can even borrow recycling bins for your events such as Relay4Life and Rhody Days. All of these new recycling and waste reduction options are free to residents and guests and Florence Master Recyclers had a hand in all of them.