The Oregon Country Fair (OCF) site faces a significant threat from the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), which is expected to reach the Fairgrounds and decimate Oregon Ash trees within the next 20 years. This will severely impact the Fair’s essential shade canopy. Our EAB Task Force is developing a Response Plan with strategies including education, prevention, and woodland understory enhancement. We have begun to implement actions associated with each strategy. Educational efforts are focused on communicating with the Fair community about the threat of the EAB to the ash trees at the OCF site.
All of us can do our part by staying current on the information that we will continue to provide and by following all OCF guidelines.
NEW IN 2025:
SAPLING STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM LAUNCHED
CLICK HERE TO LEARN WHY TREES ARE BEING MARKED WITH PURPLE SURVEY FLAGGING. THESE TREES ARE OUR FUTURE FOREST CANOPY: PURPLE = PROTECT IT!
PLEASE WASH YOUR CAR PRIOR TO ARRIVAL – Please stop at a car wash and select a wash that includes the underside of your vehicle. This is mandatory for anyone coming to the site from the following counties in Oregon: Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill, and northern Marion County (anywhere NE of Salem). Washing your car is also a great idea for all of us before we drive and park on site. The Emerald Ash Borer was discovered in Washington County in June 2022 and has since been detected in the adjacent counties listed above. This invasive tree-killing insect is beginning to affect Oregon Ash trees in several of the locations where it has now been detected.
Emerald Ash Borer Firewood Guidelines
To limit the potential for Emerald Ash Borer and other non-native pests to be inadvertently brought to the Fair site, the OCF Guidelines have been updated to confirm that NO FIREWOOD is to be transported to the Fair site. Updates to Guideline sections #40 (Environment), #45 (Camping Before and After Fair) and #53 (Fire Safety) all make it clear that no ash wood or live-edge wood with bark should be brought to the site unless one has prior approval, and that all firewood burned on site must be from the site, and that firewood should not be moved to, or from the Fair site.
Use of Plastic Flagging
As we get the Sapling Stewardship effort started, we are using plastic flagging, like all the other pre-fair crews working on site. We understand many people are concerned about overuse of plastics generally, and more plastic waste onto the Fair site in particular. We share those concerns, and we welcome alternative suggestions. For now, we are using this particular purple flagging and branding because it will persist for several years before breaking down, and because we can print a QR code on it.
Helpful Links:
The definitive resource hub for EAB information in Oregon: OregonEAB.com
Collection of resources from OSU Extension: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/collection/emerald-ash-borer-resources
Oregon Country Fair’s Emerald Ash Borer Task Force Agendas, Meeting Notes and Supplemental Docs – Phase 1 (Feb-May 2024)
A recent Oregon Field Guide video/article on EAB available on Oregon Public Broadcasting: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/02/invasive-emerald-ash-borer-beetle-killing-oregon-ash-trees/