Takeaways from the landowner survey on post-fire recovery
This episode of ‘In the Woods’ podcast, hosted by Jake Barker of Oregon State University’s Extension Service, explores post-wildfire restoration on private forest lands based on the LEAF (Landowner Experience After Fire) survey. Conducted by OSU in response to the 2020 Labor Day fires, the survey gathered insights from over 200 landowners across Oregon on their recovery experiences from 2017 to 2023. Key findings were shared, including the importance of local capacity, coordination, and organizational support in driving effective recovery. Guest Kara Baylog, a program coordinator with OSU’s Forestry and Natural Resources extension, discussed the survey’s methodology, the barriers landowners faced, and the types of assistance that proved most effective in aiding recovery efforts.
“Reaching out and engaging really changes. We’ve got People who want to get work done, they need help. Those Organizations are providing them and allowing them to make it to that next step over.”
– Kara Baylog, Program Coordinator, OSU FNR Extension
Storytelling. “I bring high school students out to do environmental monitoring once a month, and to get them engaged I make sure to talk about the landscape like it’s a story. A restoration project like it’s a story.” – Kara Baylog
