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In the Portland metropolitan area, many tracts of land have been reclaimed from commercial and farming purposes to revitalize natural areas.

But with changing climate conditions and continued population sprawl, the challenge is making sure these reclaimed areas are replanted in a way that will make them sustainable for decades to come.

At ��ɳ���� University, faculty member Kara Lanning ’07 and student Brodie Buchert ’25 are conducting research to identify water-based pathogens and their effect on the survival of native plants in those reclaimed areas.

The pathogens can limit the growth potential of those plants, ultimately affecting the potential survival of these reclaimed areas, explained Lanning, an assistant professor of environmental science and biology at ��ɳ����.

“You’re decreasing the root mass of a plant. The overall impact of that is that the plant will likely die over a short period of time,” Lanning said. “This is really important for our environments because it limits the abilities of these ecosystems to function properly.”

In partnership with Clean Water Services, Buchert looked specifically at 10 sites across Washington County, ranging from recently reclaimed lands to a pair of long-established reclamation areas south of Forest Grove.

For Buchert, an environmental biology major from California, the project is a way to gain hands-on experience while contributing to a greater community need.

“The only way anyone would get that real hands-on experience is through research,” he said.