Almost 10 years after the Biscuit fire burned 500,000 acres of southwest Oregon, scientists have uncovered a treasure trove of surprises about fire’s effects on the forest. When the OREGON FIELD GUIDE crew returned to the area, they were surprised by how fast the forest is recovering. Tune in to the stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting on Thursday, June 28 at 8:30pm and see some fascinating discoveries. Also, a look at the new perspective “balloon archaeology” is providing and a report on the dramatic retreat of the Collier Glacier.
Biscuit Fire: 10 Years Later - The Field Guide crew traveled to the Siskiyou Mountains before the devastating fire and came back with amazing video of this beautiful place. Then the fire happened. They returned a year later to produce a special about the issues raised by the Biscuit Fire. The latest visit, a decade later, reveals some fascinating discoveries scientists have made since the fire such as stands of madrone and tanoaks 20-feet high. The soil is also revealing some interesting stories. Join the crew and a team of scientists as they survey the how the forest is emerging.
Balloon Archaeology - Balloon archaeology provides a whole new view of mysterious circles now found in Oregon. Archaeologists trade working on hands and knees for a viewpoint floating high overhead. Rare access to a helium balloon and remote controlled camera provides the clearest view of the most intriguing discovery in Oregon in years: stone circles that resemble the medicine wheels found in Wyoming and farther east.
Collier Glacier - For more than a century, photographers have been taking pictures of the Three Sisters’ Collier Glacier. What they didn’t know was they were also documenting the dramatic retreat of Oregon’s largest glacier. USGS Geologist Jim O’Connor takes us to this beautiful area to take this year’s photo and learn what it all means from PSU glaciologist Andrew Fountain.
Videos of the stories featured on FIELD GUIDE are available at opb.org/programs/ofg/ or watch entire programs at watch.opb.org.
Follow FIELD GUIDE on Facebook at facebook.com/oregonfieldguide.
About OREGON FIELD GUIDE
In its 23rd season, OREGON FIELD GUIDE remains a valuable source of information about outdoor recreation, ecological issues, natural resources and travel destinations. OREGON FIELD GUIDE airs Thursday evenings at 8:30pm on the television stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting and repeats on Sundays at 1:30am and 6:30pm. In the Mountain Time zone of Eastern Oregon, the program airs at 9:30pm Thursdays, and at 7:30pm Sundays.
OPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in public broadcasting to 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Widely recognized as a national leader in the public broadcasting arena, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most-used and most-supported public broadcasting services in the country and is generously supported by 115,000 contributors.