Washington County is exploding with autumn color! Capture photos of the fall season and enter them into our Fall Photo Contest. Winning photos will be eligible for cash prizes and may be featured on our webpage and social media sites. This year, when you see that fiery maple or bright yellow ash, snap a shot of the beauty around you and submit your best work.

As autumn days cool, Washington County comes alive with bright red, orange and yellow leaves, a vivid contrast to the deep, dark green of our characteristic firs. The richness of our farms, vineyards and forests provide plenty of places to enjoy the colors — and that unique aroma of fall. Here are some tried and true places where you can view the gorgeous foliage of fall!

As minutes of each day’s light dwindle, leaves grasp at those last moments of sunlight. Their slow but beautiful death creates a colorful panorama that can leave us awestruck. Behind that aesthetically pleasing array, the changing colors are created by a chemical process.

Spring may get us fired up about digging in the soil, but fall is a better time to plant trees here in Oregon. Generally, mid-September through mid-November is the sweet spot.  The soil tends to be warm and allows the plants a long time to get established and develop strong roots. And once the rains return, you won’t have to water them as much as spring-planted trees.

Here are some steps to help those trees get a good start.

As leaves fall you may be more likely to notice the grayish green, crusty or mossy-looking growth on the stems and branches of trees and shrubs. It’s probably lichen (pronounced “liken”). If you’re wondering what lichen is, why it’s on your tree, and whether it’s harming the tree, then here are answers!

As you wheel your way through Washington County this fall, please take time to notice the beautiful trees. We are making a collection of interesting trees for our database and would like to create a bicycling tree tour map to showcase them. When you see an interesting tree, snap a photo and send it to us with some simple information. We would also love to receive information about your favorite routes for seeing trees. Pedal through our county’s scenic views and shine a spotlight on trees!

Give yourself a treat this fall — enjoy the fall weather while you search for these types of spooky trees!

You've probably heard that the Emerald Ash Borer has arrived in our area. Just a reminder: Don't move firewood around! This is a major means of propagating invasive pests. And check where store-puchased firewood is from, too. Please inform your friends.

• Endorse Metro's Parks and Nature levy

• Volunteer to help inventory trees.

•  We recommend that you "Leave the Leaves" to benefit trees this fall, but if you do remove them, here are Clean Water Service's Annual Leaf Disposal events.

• Trees are the secret weapon of America's historic Climate Bill — and what it means for urban forestry programs.

• Oregon Supreme Court declines to hear state timber lawsuit.

• Up to one-sixth of the tree species found in the continental United States face possible extinction, yet only a handful enjoy federal protection.

• How "green islands" help forests regenerate after fire.