Gary Chastagner (center) speaks with a grower and wreath evaluator. Decorative greenery is a multimillion-dollar industry in the Pacific Northwest. Chastagner’s lab harvested boughs and made wreaths from trees at various elevations in a research trial.
December 23, 2024
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December 24, 2024 2:35 a.m.
WSU scientist gifts world healthier Christmas trees
PUYALLUP - For more than 40 years, Washington State University Extension scientist Gary Chastagner has found solutions to Christmas tree diseases and other related problems, helping ensure the beloved holiday tradition remains possible. Known worldwide as “Dr. Christmas Tree,” Chastagner has also played an important role in keeping Christmas tree farms in the Pacific Northwest and beyond economically viable.