Sudden Oak Death

Virtual Oak Health Workshop recordings available

This past April, we hosted a series of talks on the challenges faced by California’s native oak trees and oak woodlands. Prerecorded talks were accessed online, then participants attended a live moderated Q&A session on Zoom that is now also available for viewing. Topics include:

Conservation of Oregon white oak and CA black oak woodlands
Sudden oak death and other Phytophthora problems in oaks and tanoak
Wildfire in tanoak, CA black oak, blue oak, & interior live oak woodlands
A new, non-native beetle threat to valley oaks

Read more about the event in a UCANR blog post: Hundreds sign up for online oak woodland workshop

This workshop was originally planned to take place at two field stations. Learn more about these partners below.

Sonoma State University's Fairfield Osborn Preserve: https://www.cei.sonoma.edu

Hopland Research and Extension Center: http://hrec.ucanr.edu

This workshop is for oak enthusiasts, landowners, natural resource managers, and foresters. For more information about the content of the workshop visit https://cei.sonoma.edu/oak-health-workshop

Learn more and access videos at:

http://ucanr.edu/OakHealth

For more information contact Kerry Wininger, UC Cooperative Extension, 707-888-5616, kwininger@ucanr.edu, or Chris Lee, Cal Fire, 707-726-1254, christopher.lee@fire.ca.gov

Thanks for a successful 2020 SOD Blitz - done virtually!

The 2020 SOD Blitzes took place virtually and through independent sampling May 2-5. Thanks to everyone who put this year on track to be even more successful than last year! Stay tuned for information on a results meeting this fall, and please join us again next year.

Learn how the 2020 SOD Blitz was adapted for COVID-19 at www.sodblitz.org

How our SOD Blitz worked:

Complete trainings on your own time online (covers COVID-19 safety & blitz instructions)
Receive packets to collect leaves individually (mailed to you OR pick up at UCCE Sonoma office)
Attend a Zoom Q&A meeting (optional)
Mail in your samples for free laboratory testing (postmarked by May 5)

Thanks to our partners at Sonoma State University's Center for Environmental Inquiry. Learn about these joint events here:

http://cei.sonoma.edu/sod-blitz-galbreath-2020
http://cei.sonoma.edu/sod-blitz-osborn-2020 *Este es un evento bilingue (Ingles y Español)

SOD Hike with California Native Plant Society -- POSTPONED

Due to COVID-19, this event has been postponed. Check back for a rescheduled date, or email kwininger@ucanr.edu to be notified.

See what we offered Fall 2019: SOD Info &Training Events

CLICK HERE FOR FULL INFO: Fall 2019 SOD events flier

SOD Blitz Results Meeting

Tuesday, November 12, 6-8pm, UCCE Sonoma Office, 133 Aviation Blvd #109, Santa Rosa

REGISTER: ucanr.edu/2019SODBlitzResultsMeeting

SOD Training Workshops -- ISA CEUs applied for!

1) Monday, November 18, 10am-3pm, UCCE Sonoma Office, 133 Aviation Blvd #109, Santa Rosa

REGISTER: ucanr.edu/SODTrainingWorkshopSantaRosa

2) Tuesday, November 19, 10am-3pm, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens,18220 CA-1, Fort Bragg

REGISTER: ucanr.edu/SODTrainingWorkshopFortBragg

Questions or need to cancel? Contact Kerry at kwininger@ucanr.edu

Thanks for making the 2019 SOD Blitz a success!

*Check back in Spring for 2021 SOD Blitz dates & locations*

Past information about spring 2019 Blitzes:

Test your trees for free!

Monitor disease spread in a rainy year, be on the lookout for new dangerous strains, and test oaks for SOD with OakSTeP

Things are not "as usual." Come learn to:

Identify symptoms of SOD on bay laurel, oaks, and tanoak
Collect symptomatic leaves from bay laurel and tanoak to be analyzed at NO COST
Make important contributions to science
Visit and help your local park or preserve

New this year:

- Leaves will be tested for the new and aggressive EU1 pathogen strain. Already in Oregon

forests, we need to look for it in California to have a chance of eliminating it if found.

- Introducing the OakSTeP program that will provide an easy and affordable way for licensed arborists, tree care specialists, preserve mangers and qualified government workers to test oaks for SOD. Join the OakSTep program for FREE if you register in person during a SOD blitz ($200 value), and get priority for sample processing.

- Thinking of doing something to control SOD, or have done so already? We'll have a questionnaire and important information and tips at the trainings.

- El Fairfield Osborn Preserve blitz es un evento bilingue (Inglés y Español)

Six meetings took place this year in Petaluma, Yorkville (docent-led at SSU'sGalbreath Preserve), Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, and Penngrove (docent-led at SSU's Osborn Preserve) from April 25th - 27th.

The Osborn Preserve blitz in Penngrove was a bilingual event (English & Spanish) / Este es un evento bilingue (Inglés y Español)

Unless otherwise noted, SOD blitz evens consist of a one-hour training, then you collect leaves at locations of your choice and drop them back at the meeting site that weekend. We drive leaves to UC Berkeley Lab for analysis on Monday. You get results in early fall.

There is no cost for this activity. Hosted by the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County SOD Specialists and the University of California Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County. Funding provided by the USDA Forest Service.

Click here to learn more about the SOD Blitz Project

Contact: kwininger@ucanr.edu

KRCB News Story -- Gathering Leaves: Sudden Oak Death Research

In collaboration with the University of California and The Center for Environmental Inquiry at Sonoma State University, citizen scientists in Sonoma County are collecting bay laurel leaves to assist in controlling the pathogen responsible for Sudden Oak Death.

Gathering Leaves (for show)

Published by KRCB North Bay Public Media. Also available at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ8_YByYWU4&feature=share

SOD in the News

Experts Warn of Surge in Sudden Oak Death Infections in North Bay, CBS News Bay Area, November 2019

KRSO radio's "Garden Talk," November 2019

KRSO radio's "Garden Talk," April 2019

Wet winter in Sonoma county may have helped spread virulent oak disease, Press Democrat, April 2019

Dry winter curtails fatal disease in oak trees, Press Democrat, Oct 2018

Sudden oak death rampant in Sonoma County after two wet winters, raising longterm fire risks, Press Democrat, Nov 2017

Sudden oak death in Sonoma County explodes, thanks to winter rains, Press Democrat, Oct 2016

Like tens of millions of matchsticks, California's dead trees stand ready to burn, New York Times, Aug 2016

This disease has killed a million trees in California, and scientists say it’s basically unstoppable, Washington Post, May 2016

North Coast rains a boost for sudden oak death, Press Democrat, May 2016

Drought slows spread of sudden oak death in Sonoma County, Press Democrat, Sep 2015

New effort to track Sudden Oak Death in Sonoma County, Press Democrat, Apr 2014

2017 SOD BLITZ RESULTS

Over 2,200 trees were sampled in Sonoma County. See Results here.

	Surveyed Trees	Symptomatic Oak Nearby	Sampled Trees	SOD Positive Sampled Trees %	Estimated True Infection Rate	Symptomatic Surveyed Trees %
Sonoma-West	1086	10.1	89	69.7	21.1	30.3
Sonoma-North	187	7.7	68	27.9	3.9	13.9
Sonoma-East	1018	9.9	131	64.1	32.9	51.3

Virtual Oak Health Workshop recordings available

http://ucanr.edu/OakHealth

Thanks for a successful 2020 SOD Blitz - done virtually!

SOD Hike with California Native Plant Society -- POSTPONED

See what we offered Fall 2019: SOD Info &Training Events

Thanks for making the 2019 SOD Blitz a success!

KRCB News Story -- Gathering Leaves: Sudden Oak Death Research

SOD in the News

2017 SOD BLITZ RESULTS

Video: SOD in Sonoma County

Oak ID

FREE SOD Guide

SOD Program Poster

AERIAL SURVEY for SOD 2014

SOD Results Map 2015