Apr 12, 2023 | View All Issues
2023 SOD BLITZ
May 5th – May 9th
The tree disease Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is killing millions of oaks in California and Oregon with the southernmost known location at the Monterey/San Luis Obispo County border. Early detection on bay laurel trees is key to slowing the SOD epidemic. SOD-infected oaks can also burn
very hot, increasing fire intensity around them. In 2020, the aggressive EU1 strain of the SOD pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum) was found for the first time in northern California and its pivotal we know if this strain is elsewhere. Because of the biology of this pathogen, requiring rainfall to spread, the 2023 SOD Blitzes will probably be the most important ones we have ever had. In 2019, P. ramorum has been found in 3 streams in San Luis Obispo County but not on vegetation, so continuing to survey especially this year on bay laurel is especially critical.
Each person is required to take a short training in order to participate in the SOD BLITZ, the training is provided online at www.sodblitz.org.
Please register with us locally in order to provide enough collecting packet
Download
(569KB PDF)
Registration: https://ucanr.ed