UC Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology 
Laboratory City Forest
May 22, 2012
 
"SOD-BLITZES"
Communities Coming Together in the Fight Against
Sudden Oak Death

This activity possible thanks to funding from:
USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Agdia, Inc.

Spring 2012 SOD Blitzes

Marin County - Saturday April 21, 9:00am, Dominican University,
Joseph R Fink Science Center, Rm 103.
Contact: Sibdas Ghosh - sibdas.ghosh@dominican.edu

East Bay - Orinda - Saturday April 28, 10:00am,
Garden Room, Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way.
Contact: Bill Hudson - wllhh@ymail.com,

East Bay - Berkeley - Saturday April 28, 1:00pm,
Rm. 159 Mulford Hall, UC Berkeley,
Register Online for UC Berkeley Meeting
Google Map: UC Berkeley Meeting Location
Contact: Susan Schwartz - F5creeks@aol.com,

San Francisco - Tuesday May 1, 8:30am
Golden Gate Park Presidio & Golden Gate Park
Rec Room, SF County Fair Building , GGP near 9th Ave. & Lincoln Way
Presidio Contact: Christa Conforti - CConforti@presidiotrust.gov
Golden Gate Park Contact: Gloria Koch-Gonzalez - Gloria.Koch-Gonzalez@sfgov.org

Carmel Valley - Saturday May 5, 9:00am
Garland Ranch Regional Park Visitor Center, 700 West Carmel Valley Road.
Contact: Tim Jensen - tjensen@mprpd.org

Sunol - Tuesday May 8,
Contact: Ellen Natesan - ENatesan@sfwater.org

Mt. Tam - Saturday May 12, 10:00am
Marin Municipal Water District Main Office
220 Nellen Ave., Corte Madera
Contact: Andrea Williams - awilliams@marinwater.org
Volunteer Opportunities and Naturalist Guided Hikes on Mt. Tam
Link to marinwater.org


Napa - Saturday May 12, 9:00am
Napa UCCE Classroom, 1710 Soscol Ave.
Contact: Bill Pramuk - info@billpramuk.com

Sonoma - Saturday May 19, Four meetings to choose from

9:30am - Sonoma Community Center, 276 East Napa St., Sonoma Map
10:00am - Sebastopol Vet's Building, 282 High Street, Sebastopol Map
10:00 am - Santa Rosa, Discovery Center at Spring Lake Park,
(located just inside the park at the Violetti Rd. entrance) Map
Contact: Lisa Bell - lkbell@ucdavis.edu

9:00am - Van Hoosear Wildflower Preserve, 2290 Grove Street, Sonoma
Contact: Connor Ross - connor@sonomaecologycenter.org

Santa Cruz - Saturday May 19, 10:30am,
Cal-Fire Training Room on Gushee Street
(behind the forestry office at 6059 Highway 9), Felton
Contact: Nadia Hamey - nadiah@big-creek.com

Los Alto Hills - Saturday May 26, 10:30am,
Council Chambers, LAH Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Rd.
Contact: Sue Welch - sodblitz09@earthlink.net

Woodside/Portola Valley - Saturday June 2, 10:00am,
Woodside Town Hall, 2955 Woodside Rd.
Contact: Debbie Mendelson - naturemend@sbcglobal.net

Atherton - Saturday June 2, 1:30pm
Carriage House, Holbrook Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton
Contact: Susan Finocchio - susanfin@earthlink.net

South Skyline - Saturday June 9, 10:00am
Saratoga Fire Station, Skyline Blvd.
Contact: Jane Manning - skyline_sod@yahoo.com

Burlingame Hills - Saturday June 16, 10:00am
120 Tiptoe Lane (off Canyon Rd.), Burlingame
Contact: Steve Epstein - steve@burlingamehills.org

Click Here to see how we test for SOD


SOD BLITZ PROJECT INTRODUCTION
Sudden Oak Death (SOD), a serious exotic disease, is threatening the survival of tanoak and several oak species in California. Currently SOD is found in the wildlands of 14 coastal California counties, from Monterey to Humboldt. While patchy in distribution, with each passing year, the swath of infection continues to become more contiguous. Researchers have discovered that Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes SOD, spreads most often on infected California bay laurel leaves. Symptomatic bay leaves are often the first sign that SOD has arrived at a location, and generally precedes oak infections. Some management options are available (sanitation, chemical preventative treatments, bay removal), but they are effective only if implemented before oaks and tanoaks are infected; hence, timely detection of the disease on bay laurel leaves is key for a successful proactive attempt to slow down the SOD epidemic.

SOD Foliar Symptoms Guide

Previous Years SOD Blitz Results:
2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008

WHAT IS A SOD-BLITZ?
SOD-blitzes inform and educate the community about Sudden Oak Death, get locals involved in detecting the disease, and produce detailed local maps of disease distribution. The map can then be used to identify those areas where the infestation may be mild enough to justify proactive management.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN MY COMMUNITY?
Contact one of the organizers above, come to the meeting, and help collect leaves in your local area. If you'd like to organize a community SOD Blitz in your area see the links below.

HOW ARE SOD-BLITZES STRUCTURED?
1. A community meeting is held on a Friday evening (or Saturday morning). The goals of the meeting are to:
  • Train participants to identify SOD symptoms on CA bay laurel and other hosts
  • Explain the details of the sampling/collection process (number of samples, bagging, storing, tagging, distance between sampled trees)
  • Explain how to record the sample location (address, GPS, etc)
  • Explain how to fill out the collection form
  • Define collection areas for each participant
  • Distribute necessary materials to participants (forms, bags, markers, GPS units, laminated pictorial identification cards)
2. Collection of samples: On Saturday and Sunday, leaf samples are collected by the individual participants. Samples and accompanying forms are then turned in at a central location Saturday and Sunday evenings.

3. The UC Berkeley diagnostic laboratory will analyze each collected sample through microscopic and DNA analyses to determine the presence or absence of P. ramorum/Sudden Oak Death. Once all samples have been tested, a map will be generated highlighting the areas sampled, and the presence or absence of the disease at each location.

4. One to four months later (dependent upon workload and number of samples collected) a follow-up community meeting may be organized. At the meeting, results will be presented, and management options discussed.

SHOULD OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZE OUR OWN SOD BLITZ?
  • Do you live in an area where SOD is currently at a low or intermediate level?
  • Is there a system is in place to inform community members of the event? Is community interest and involvement likely? Is a meeting location available?
  • Is it possible to mobilize local groups or neighboring communities (multiple townships, parks and preserves, etc.) to participate?
WHEN TO ORGANIZE A SOD-BLITZ
Bearing in mind that 4-8 weeks are necessary to advertise the event, early spring is the best time to organize SOD-Blitzes. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

HOW MUCH DOES A SOD-BLITZ COST?
SOD-Blitzes are COMPLETELY FREE thanks to funding from the US Forest Service to the UC Berkeley Forest Pathology Lab!

WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT?
Email Dr. Matteo Garbelotto matteog@berkeley.edu Please include in the subject the word "SOD-Blitz." Requests need to arrive at least 6 months before the desired date to allow for proper organization.



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