A good description of SOD in California, its hosts, and behavior:
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of visiting the campus at UC Berkeley to attend a training session on Sudden Oak Death (SOD), the disease that has killed many thousands of trees in California and other parts of the world. Losses include many coast live oaks here in Napa County.
To see for yourself, take a short drive up Partrick Road, where the woods are dense. You are likely to spot a number of dead coast live oak trees in this area where SOD was confirmed fairly early in the onset of the epidemic.
The UC Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Lab, which originally identified the disease when it was new to California, continues to refine our understanding of it while it also leads community volunteer efforts to map and mange the disease. The lab sponsors ongoing training for those who are interested in the problem or directly involved in its management.
The March 9 training session, held in the shadow of a large coast live oak by the Tolman Hall portico, was led by lead researcher Matteo Garbelotto, the associate extension specialist and associate adjunct professor who heads the lab research. The lab also sponsors a unique community involvement effort known as “SOD Blitz” days, one of which will be held in Napa on June 4.
Prof. Garbelotto summarized the history of the disease in California from its beginnings to the current state of the research on its biology and management.
Read more here - Trees & People by Bill Pramuk, Napa Valley Register, Saturday, March 26, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Oregon bill targets firewood pests
Officials want to ensure that ruinous insects aren’t inadvertently imported into the state
By David Steves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SALEM — One way to keep forest-ravaging insects and diseases from hitching a ride into Oregon is to make sure they don’t hide out in firewood brought by out-of-state campers.
That’s the idea behind a proposal that got its first hearing Monday. House Bill 2122 would give the Department of Agriculture authority to regulate out-of-state firewood. Imported wood would have to be treated, most likely with insect- and disease-killing heat. Labels on commercial firewood would have to list the source of the wood and describe its anti-pest treatment if it’s from outside Oregon.
The Register-Guard
Published: Tuesday, Feb 8, 2011 05:01AM
By David Steves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SALEM — One way to keep forest-ravaging insects and diseases from hitching a ride into Oregon is to make sure they don’t hide out in firewood brought by out-of-state campers.
That’s the idea behind a proposal that got its first hearing Monday. House Bill 2122 would give the Department of Agriculture authority to regulate out-of-state firewood. Imported wood would have to be treated, most likely with insect- and disease-killing heat. Labels on commercial firewood would have to list the source of the wood and describe its anti-pest treatment if it’s from outside Oregon.
The Register-Guard
Published: Tuesday, Feb 8, 2011 05:01AM
Estimated losses from Sudden Oak Death in CA, USA
Predicting the economic costs and property value losses attributed to sudden oak death damage in California (2010-2020)
Kovacs et al. 2011. Predicting the economic costs and property value losses attributed to sudden oak death damage in California (2010-2020) Journal of Environmental Management Volume 92, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 1292-1302. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.12.018
Abstract
Phytophthora ramorum, cause of sudden oak death, is a quarantined, non-native, invasive forest pathogen resulting in substantial mortality in coastal live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and several other related tree species on the Pacific Coast of the United States. We estimate the discounted cost of oak treatment, removal, and replacement on developed land in California communities using simulations of P. ramorum spread and infection risk over the next decade (2010-2020). An estimated 734 thousand oak trees occur on developed land in communities in the analysis area. The simulations predict an expanding sudden oak death (SOD) infestation that will likely encompass most of northwestern California and warrant treatment, removal, and replacement of more than 10 thousand oak trees with discounted cost of $7.5 million. In addition, we estimate the discounted property losses to single family homes of $135 million. Expanding the land base to include developed land outside as well as inside communities doubles the estimates of the number of oak trees killed and the associated costs and losses. The predicted costs and property value losses are substantial, but many of the damages in urban areas (e.g. potential losses from increased fire and safety risks of the dead trees and the loss of ecosystem service values) are not included.
Kovacs et al. 2011. Predicting the economic costs and property value losses attributed to sudden oak death damage in California (2010-2020) Journal of Environmental Management Volume 92, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 1292-1302. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.12.018
Abstract
Phytophthora ramorum, cause of sudden oak death, is a quarantined, non-native, invasive forest pathogen resulting in substantial mortality in coastal live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and several other related tree species on the Pacific Coast of the United States. We estimate the discounted cost of oak treatment, removal, and replacement on developed land in California communities using simulations of P. ramorum spread and infection risk over the next decade (2010-2020). An estimated 734 thousand oak trees occur on developed land in communities in the analysis area. The simulations predict an expanding sudden oak death (SOD) infestation that will likely encompass most of northwestern California and warrant treatment, removal, and replacement of more than 10 thousand oak trees with discounted cost of $7.5 million. In addition, we estimate the discounted property losses to single family homes of $135 million. Expanding the land base to include developed land outside as well as inside communities doubles the estimates of the number of oak trees killed and the associated costs and losses. The predicted costs and property value losses are substantial, but many of the damages in urban areas (e.g. potential losses from increased fire and safety risks of the dead trees and the loss of ecosystem service values) are not included.
UK House of Lords debate on SOD
Trees: Sudden Oak Death — Question
House of Lords debates, 10 February 2011, 11:21 am
Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to counter the spread of sudden oak death in trees.
Lord Henley (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Conservative)
My Lords, the Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment Research Agency, working in partnership with other organisations, are delivering a five-year programme in England and Wales against Phytophthora ramorum. The Government take this very seriously. Infected Japanese larch is being cleared from 7,920 acres of woodland in an effort to halt the spread of the disease.
The rest of the debate
House of Lords debates, 10 February 2011, 11:21 am
Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to counter the spread of sudden oak death in trees.
Lord Henley (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Conservative)
My Lords, the Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment Research Agency, working in partnership with other organisations, are delivering a five-year programme in England and Wales against Phytophthora ramorum. The Government take this very seriously. Infected Japanese larch is being cleared from 7,920 acres of woodland in an effort to halt the spread of the disease.
The rest of the debate
Thursday, February 10, 2011
First Report of Phytophthora ramorum Infecting California Red Fir in California
G. A. Chastagner and K. L. Riley, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Research and Extension Center, Puyallup 98371
September 2010, Volume 94, Number 9
Page 1170
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-94-9-1170B
Read the article in Plant Disease
September 2010, Volume 94, Number 9
Page 1170
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-94-9-1170B
Read the article in Plant Disease
First Report of Phytophthora ramorum Infecting Mistletoe in California
Riley, K. L., and Chastagner, G. A. 2011. First report of Phytophthora ramorum infecting mistletoe in California. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2011-0209-02-BR.
Read the article here.
Read the article here.
Monday, February 7, 2011
An Ecological Approach to Sudden Oak Death Prevention
In workshops offered recently by Hidden Villa, ecologist Lee Klinger demonstrated ways to prevent Sudden Oak Death. If you've driven through our hills and noticed whole oaks turned brown and dead, you may be looking at an example of this blight on our oak trees.
Klinger's method mimics the effects of forest fires. His theory is that oaks are fire-adapted and thus need periodic fires to remain healthy.
“Fire replenishes minerals, removes competition and reduces sources of acidity such as mosses and lichens.” With Sudden Oak Death, the plant pathogen, phytophthora ramorum, attacks the trees through the trunks.
To mimic the effects of forest fires, he recommends cutting back underbrush that crowds the tree, removing mosses and lichens from the trunk of the oaks, spraying the tree trunk with lime, adding minerals to the soil and topping with compost and mulch.
Read more in the Los Altos Patch
Klinger's method mimics the effects of forest fires. His theory is that oaks are fire-adapted and thus need periodic fires to remain healthy.
“Fire replenishes minerals, removes competition and reduces sources of acidity such as mosses and lichens.” With Sudden Oak Death, the plant pathogen, phytophthora ramorum, attacks the trees through the trunks.
To mimic the effects of forest fires, he recommends cutting back underbrush that crowds the tree, removing mosses and lichens from the trunk of the oaks, spraying the tree trunk with lime, adding minerals to the soil and topping with compost and mulch.
Read more in the Los Altos Patch
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)