Oregon State University Extension Service

About Tree School

Tree Schools are day-long mini-college programs for family forestland owners, foresters, loggers, arborists, teachers, and the public hosted in various counties around the state of Oregon.

Tree School is a collaborative effort organized by Oregon State University's Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Program with a lot of help from our forestry community partners and volunteers. We are very thankful for the dedicated efforts of all our volunteers and collaborators.

History

Tree School started in Clackamas County in 1991 as a mini-college program designed to attract a broad audience and offer a diverse array of educational topics to address the goals and challenges facing local forest landowners. From humble beginnings, with just 16 classes and 125 participants, Tree School was a hit with the woodland community and has continued to grow.

In 2023, Tree School Clackamas alone featured 68 different classes for over 650 participants. Tree School has also grown to reach across the state of Oregon, featuring Tree School Coast in Waldport and Tree School East in Baker City in 2023.

Credit: Amanda Loman (Cropped from original)

What you will learn

At Tree School, OSU and agency experts teach dozens of workshops on key topics to support successful management of your woodlands. These topics may include:

  • Certification and sustainability
  • Christmas tree production and management
  • Cruising, falling, scaling and logging timber
  • Forest protection rules
  • Insects and diseases of conifers and hardwoods
  • Tools, safety and equipment
  • Tree thinning and pruning
  • Tree, shrub and mushroom identification
  • Vegetation management and reforestation
  • Wildfire preparedness
  • Wildlife identification and habitat
  • And more!

Classes are typically 90 minutes long, meaning you can participate in up to four over the course of a Tree School.

Tree Schools also offer other opportunities for learning and networking, including field sessions/tours, demonstrations, vendor tables and exhibits, round table discussions and Q&A sessions.

Connect with your local Tree School

In-person Tree Schools are scheduled across Oregon each year, view the list of Tree Schools at the link below to connect with opportunities in your area. If you don't find a Tree School near you, or if you can't wait to begin learning, you can also check out our Tree School Online library.

Find out more about Regional Tree Schools
Credit: Amanda Loman (Cropped from original)

Tree School anytime, anywhere

Can't wait for an in-person Tree School? Check out our Tree School Online library, featuring 52 webinar recordings of past favorite Tree School classes taught by woodland experts and enthusiasts.

Browse the Tree School Online library
Source URL: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/tree-school/about-tree-school