You may have seen the press release regarding the newly discovered Sudden Oak Death (SOD) infestation along Hwy 101 in Port Orford. This detection is over 20 miles north of the last known detection in Curry County and is a very concerning development. Samples were analyzed to determine the strain of Sudden Oak Death and it was determined to be NA2. This is a strain of SOD that has never before been found in forests in North America. SOD is caused by the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum and is not native to North America.
SOD has caused widespread mortality of tanoak in California and Oregon’s southern Curry County. For more general background information, see Sudden Oak Death, Prevention, Recognitions and Restoration (Note: the maps in the publication do not include the Port Orford detection).
Previous SOD infestations in Oregon forests were determined to be either NA1 or EU1 strains (NA1 is widespread in California and southern Curry County, the EU1 variant was found near Pistol River in 2015). The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is working with the LeBoldus lab at OSU to learn more about the effects of the NA2 strain in forest settings. ODF plans to conduct surveys to determine the extent of the infestation, they will also obtain updated aerial imagery during the summer. Any changes to the current quarantine area will be determined by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (including opportunities for stakeholder input through public comment). In the meantime an Emergency Quarantine (3-mile buffer) was established, see the orange circle on Figure 1. Find more information regarding the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Sudden Oak Death Program here.
If you are planning a timber harvest in an area subject to quarantine, review the Forestry Operations within the Sudden Oak Death Quarantine in Curry County, A Guide for Landowners. Contact your Oregon Department of Forestry Sudden Oak Death forester if you have questions regarding harvesting as it relates to SOD.
