Sense of Place Presents: "Beyond the Scrub: New Attention on Oregon White Oaks and Why They Matter"

Feb 26

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Sense of Place:

By Cole Goodwin

Hood River, OR – February 19, 2025 – Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place series continues with "Beyond the Scrub: New Attention on Oregon White Oaks and Why They Matter," featuring Lindsay Cornelius, East Cascades Oak Partnership Manager at the Columbia Land Trust.

This thought-provoking program will take place on Wednesday, March 12. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the presentation running from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. A livestream option will be available for virtual attendees.

Event Description:

Oregon white oak trees seem abundant, almost weedy in the Gorge. They are the least showy of our native hardwoods and often look as though they are falling apart.

So why in 2020 did a diverse group of stakeholders band together for a closer look at these native trees? Why are oaks being called a lifeboat? A safe zone for species trying to survive the subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes that are accompanying our changing climate?

And how might new efforts to conserve and restore oak woodlands in the Gorge impact our landscapes, people, and even economy?

Join Lindsay Cornelius, Manager of the East Cascades Oak Partnership, to learn why oaks make such excellent neighbors in a place prone to drought, fires, heat, and wind. Explore how these sometimes decrepit-looking trees are actually supporting vibrant life—more so than any other tree species in the Gorge.

Event Details:

Beyond the Scrub: New Attention on Oregon White Oaks and Why They Matter

When: Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025. Doors at 6:00 p.m., show from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. PDT.

(If the event is sold out, unclaimed seats will be released to the waitlist at 6:45 p.m.)

Where: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR 97031

A livestream option is available.

Get Tickets: https://givebutter.com/oregon-white-oaks-and-why-they-matter

Advanced ticket purchase is encouraged as events often sell out.

About the Speaker:

Lindsay Cornelius has been observing and managing oak habitats in the Columbia River Gorge and East Cascades for more than 20 years as a natural area manager for Columbia Land Trust and most recently as the Manager of the East Cascades Oak Partnership. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from Western Washington University, but the applied learning she’s done over the last two decades restoring, enhancing, and making mistakes in oak woodlands has earned her a PhD in curiosity.

About Sense of Place:

Sense of Place is a program of Mt. Adams Institute, a Gorge-based nonprofit that strengthens the connection between people and the natural world through education, service, career development, and research. For more information on the series and Season 15, visit senseofplacegorge.org or follow us on Instagram @senseofplacegorge.

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