Sudden Oak Death

Sudden Oak Death, or SOD, was first observed in California in 1995. In 2000 UC researchers identified the causal agent as Phytophthora ramorum, a pest new to science that had never been identified before. The IHRMP provided intial seed money to assist in studying this new disease, and to establish the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF), a multi-agency collaborative team focused on understanding this new pest and educating the public about how to manage infected stands and curtail the spread of this damaging disease. Below is a link to the COMTF web site that includes a wide range of SOD information, including what plants are confirmed hosts, where the disease is currently found, regulations about the movement of host material, and recommended management practices for limiting damage.

California Oak Mortality Task Force Web Site

Sudden Oak Death Pest Notes for Home and Landscape

UC Delivers Stories

Since 1995, increasing numbers of tanoak, coast live oak, and black oak trees were dying from an unknown cause in several California counties. This widespread mortality threatened wildlife habitat, reduced property values, increased wildfire hazards, and increased risk to human safety from tree failure. This new threat came to be known as "Sudden Oak Death" because of the rapid browning of the foliage of the infected trees.

Read about: Developing a Sudden Oak Death Research and Extension Program | View Other Stories