OAN makes case to Oregon congressional delegation for action during lame duck session

OAN supports funding continued efforts to contain and control Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes sudden oak death. Additionally, our delegation must pressure USDA not to implement its damaging and discriminatory prenofitication rule, requiring all nurseries to notify receiving states of host material shipped from Oregon.

http://oangovernmentrelations.blogspot.com/2010/12/oan-makes-case-to-oregon-congressional.html

Phytophthora ramorum's threat to the East Coast

Phytophthora ramorum's threat to the East Coast was discussed at the Address P. ramorum Initiative breakout session held at Brandeis University, October 6, 2010, as part of the sixth meeting of the Continental Dialogue of Non-native Insects and Diseases. A poster and handout summarized what is known: The Sudden Oak Death pathogen has been detected in eight rivers in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. These contaminated waterways are near P. ramorum-positive nurseries. Several of the streams are in areas identified by the USDA Forest Service as "high risk" for infestation due to the presence of susceptible vegetation and suitable climate. The group discussed preliminary plans for 2011, which may include a meeting for interested parties to learn more about the Forest Service "Sudden Oak Death Framework" and recommendations to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service from interagency work groups on current P. ramorum regulations. The Address P. ramorum Initiative's goal is to prevent the spread of P. ramorum and work in a collaborative, proactive, cooperative manner. For more information, contact the Initiative co-leads: Ken Rauscher, Jerry Lee, or Susan Frankel.

Buy It Where You Burn It campaign covers OR, WA & ID

Moving firewood also moves invasive species, including P. ramorum

Buying local firewood protects Oregon forestry and ag
– Imported firewood is a major pathway for invasive species
By Oregon Department of Agriculture

Buy local has a whole new meaning when it comes to protecting Oregon from invasive species this fall and winter. Consumers are urged not to purchase firewood from out-of-state and all the insects and diseases it might carry. Instead, buying local firewood can help keep invasive species from gaining a foothold in the Oregon environment.

“Firewood is a major pathway for moving invasive species, and that’s not a good thing,” says Dan Hilburn, administrator of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Plant Division and member of the Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC). “The take home message to Oregonians is to buy their firewood locally and burn it locally.”

Whether it is used at a campground or at home, people are transporting firewood great distances these days, taking with them any bugs or diseases that might not be native to that area.

http://naturalresourcereport.com/2010/10/buy-it-where-you-burn-it-campaign-covers-or-wa-id/

New nursery research projects at NORS-DUC

Pending California Department of Pesticide Regulation approval, the following five projects will soon be underway at the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California (NORS-DUC). All projects have been funded through the fiscal year federal Farm Bill. For more information on the projects or the NORS-DUC program, contact Sibdas Ghosh at sibdas.ghosh@dominican.edu.

Bostock, R.M. and Roubtsova, T. Episodic abiotic stress and ramorum blight in nursery ornamentals: impacts on symptom expression and chemical management of Phytophthora ramorum in Rhododendron.

Chastagner, G. and Elliott, M. The risk of asymptomatic Phytophthora ramorum infection on fungicide treated rhododendrons.

Jeffers, S.; Meadows, I.; Hwang, J.-S. Studies on Soil Mitigation of Phytophthora ramorum.

Tjosvold, S.; Chastagner, G.; and Elliott, M. Effect of fungicides and biocontrol agents on inoculum production and persistence of Phytophthora ramorum on nursery hosts.

Widmer, T. and Shishkoff, N. Use of Trichoderma spp. to remediate Phytophthora ramorum-infested soil.

Helping to map the SOD outbreak in California

Sudden oak death: Plotting trail, testing leaves


A map plotting the path of destruction that the tree-strangling pathogen known as sudden oak death is taking through the Bay Area shows new infestations in and around neighborhoods throughout the region.

The effort to track the wily killer's movements is the result of a major effort to involve citizens in the battle against the mysterious pathogen, which has killed tens of thousands of oak trees from Big Sur to southern Oregon.



Read more: San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 4 2010

Citizen Science

Citizen science has been around for centuries, with lay people collecting data and making observations for scientists in a variety of fields. And, citizen scientists are contributing to discoveries as much in the 21st century as ever before.

Read more here:
NSF Science Nation -The online magazine that's all about science for the people

and if you're interested in joining WSU's stream monitoring for Phytophthora program, let Marianne know.

P. ramorum spread to Northern Ireland

Tree killing disease spreads to NI

A private woodland and two government-owned forests in Northern Ireland have been devastated by an outbreak of a killer disease.

It has become known as Sudden Oak Death, but it is really a fungal-like infection that kills Japanese larch trees.

Read the rest of the article here:
BBC News