The UCCE Sonoma County and Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District held a well-attended seminar in March on managing Sudden Oak Death in Sonoma County.  Land managers in attendance represented Sonoma County's Regional Parks, State Parks, Cal Fire, Land Paths, Jenner Headlands, Pepperwood Preserve, Alliance Redwoods, and private homeowners. The event was funded by a grant from the USDA Forest Service. 

The day included UCCE experts on Forest Ecology, SOD and wildfire behavior, the status of SOD in Sonoma County, local landowner experiences with SOD management, and a private researcher who just completed a manual on managing sudden oak death.  A member of the Kashia Band of the Pomo Indians described their forest management approach to SOD.  Attendees learned about the complexity of redwood forest ecology; how forest fire is enhanced by standing-dead trees killed by SOD; how to manage California bay laurel trees and poison oak to lower the chance of disease spread; and that tanoak tree injection with control materials does not work.   It was a practical seminar that stimulated discussion and updated land managers on what works and what doesn't work in SOD management.

Contact: Lisa Bell, Sonoma County SOD Program Coordinator, lisa.bell@sonoma-county.org