Published on Apr 20, 2026, 1:00:00 PM
Total time: 00:50:50
Ponderosa pine trees dominate parts of Eastern Oregon and Washington and have long been an icon of the American West, but in the past decade more than two hundred million ponderosa have died. Particularly in the Southwest, scientists estimate that by mid-century less than 5% of the ponderosa trees may remain. We revisit a conversation we first aired on Dec. 22, 2025 with Portland author Gary Ferguson about the history and the future of the ponderosa forests of the Southwest in his new book, “The Twilight Forest.”
OPB's daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.