Work to remove Salem’s oldest street tree is scheduled to begin in late June or early July.

But before the tree is fully cut down, officials will consider ways to study and preserve its memory, said Milan Davis, the city’s urban forester.

In March, the city decided to do further testing on two historic Oregon white oaks that had been slated for removal in a Northeast Salem neighborhood.

City staff, as well as many in the neighborhood, said they were heartbroken by the decision to remove the trees and hoped to find a way to save them.

The city used sonic tomography, a non-invasive tool that uses sound waves to measure wood density, to evaluate wood strength in the lower stem of the oldest tree, which has been infected with the Ganoderma applanatum fungus for several years.

It found a significant amount of compromised wood in the tree’s lower stem. The tree also was evaluated by an arborist and was deemed high-risk.

Testing and analysis on the second tree is ongoing. It’s infected with a different species of root-rotting fungus, called Inonotus dryadeus.

Removal of the first tree will happen over several months, Davis said.

Initial plans are to prune back a lot of big limbs to reduce weight and the risk of falling branches.

The hope is to keep the tree in place until this fall, allowing it to put out acorns that could be collected and planted, he said.

OREGON DUNES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, OR — A crash involving two dirt bike riders and a side-by-side in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area turned deadly Sunday evening, prompting an airlift response from the U.S. Coast Guard.

On May 24, 2026, at 5:01 p.m., the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Hauser Fire Department, Bay Cities Ambulance and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to an ATV crash near Railroad Hill in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

A deputy arrived at the scene and assessed injuries with medics. They requested a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station North Bend to airlift a 35-year-old man who needed trauma care and needed to be expedited to the hospital. The Coast Guard hoisted the man and flew him to Bay Area Hospital, but he later died from his injuries.

The other dirt bike rider, a 13-year-old boy, suffered multiple broken bones throughout his body. Hauser Fire and Bay Cities Ambulance took him to Bay Area Hospital. Because of the severity of his injuries, Bay Cities Ambulance later transported him from Bay Area Hospital to Portland for pediatric medical care.

Investigators said both dirt bike riders were wearing proper riding gear, including helmets and flags. The side-by-side also had the required safety equipment and a flag.

The deputy’s investigation included interviews with multiple witnesses. Investigators said the side-by-side was traveling south near Railroad Hill while the two dirt bike riders were traveling north. The side-by-side operator saw the dirt bike riders and came to a complete stop before the crash, but the dirt bike riders did not see the side-by-side and jumped the dune. Investigators said one rider landed on top of the side-by-side, while the other attempted to brake but was unable to stop and struck the stationary side-by-side head-on.

Speed and jumping without a spotter were contributing factors, investigators said.

The Sheriff’s Office reminded riders of quads, dirt bikes and side-by-sides that jumping without a spotter is a violation and unsafe, and urged riders to always have a spotter and a clear landing area when jumping. The Sheriff’s Office also sent condolences to those involved.