Upcoming Workshops
Information will be posted here as workshops are planned and scheduled.
Past Workshops (recordings are available)
Citizen Science for the Early Detection of Sudden Oak Death . Learn the science behind bucket and stream baiting for early detection of Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes Sudden Oak Death. Learn how to assemble and locate bucket and stream baits and process samples. Bait locations for this study will be prioritized according to the Sudden Oak Death Program’s early detection strategy. Participants in sampling project will sign up as OSU Citizen Science Volunteers. Scroll down this page to read more about the citizen science projects. Recording available here
Prior to attending the Citizen Science session, we recommend that participants view the Port Orford Webinar series recordings (links below) for more background on what Sudden Oak Death is, how it spreads, symptoms to watch out for, the treatment approach, sampling and detection strategies and current research.
Sudden Oak Death In Port Orford Webinar Series
This two part webinar series focused on the Sudden Oak Death infestation in Port Orford. Oregon State University Extension, Oregon Department of Forestry, and other partners presented information about the Sudden Oak Death infestation in Port Orford. Participants learned what Sudden Oak Death is, how it spreads, symptoms to watch out for, the treatment approach, sampling and detection strategies, current research, citizen science opportunities and funding opportunities. Did you miss the webinars? No problem! The recordings are located below.
Webinar Session 1: Tuesday. September 14 (4:00 – 5:30 pm). In session 1 we will provide a general Sudden Oak Death background (what it is, how it spreads, symptoms), treatment approach, what can folks do? NRCS cost share information. Recording of Session 1 can be downloaded here
Webinar Session 2: Wednesday. September 22 (4:00- 5:30 pm). In session 2 we will cover the survey and sampling approach, lab diagnostics and research, citizen science. Recording of Session 2 can be downloaded here
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made at least two weeks prior to the webinar(s) in which you intend to participate. Contact Norma Kline at 541-808-7771
Oregon State University Extension Service prohibits discrimination in all its programs, services, activities, and materials on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, genetic information, veteran’s status, reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Citizen Science Opportunities
Bucket baiting for the early detection of Sudden Oak Death. Tanoaks infested by the pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum) that causes Sudden Oak Death may be symptom free for many months. Infested asymptomatic trees produce spores that are easily carried by wind and rain across the landscape; spreading the disease. Landowners living at the leading edge of Sudden Oak Death infections can help with early detection efforts by placing bucket baits under apparently healthy tanoak trees and collecting the baits every two weeks for analysis by the OSU Leboldus lab. Bucket baiting typically takes place in the fall and winter. Volunteers sign up as OSU volunteer citizen scientists. All supplies are provided. More information to be announced.
Rapid tests: Citizen scientists can opt to place an extra bucket and test bait leaves with supplied rapid tests. Rapid tests are only sensitive to the genus level and may detect other types of Phytophthoras. We are interested in seeing if positive rapid test results correlate with accurate lab results. Learn more about how to use a rapid test by watching a video here
Stream baiting for the early detection of Sudden Oak Death. Landowners with a stream on their property can choose to participate in the stream baiting project. Infested trees are sometimes difficult to detect in the upper reaches of stream drainages. Infested tanoaks Spores from infested trees can be carried downstream and detected by stream baiting. Stream baits are collected every two weeks for analysis by the OSU Leboldus lab. Stream baiting occurs mainly in the spring and summer months. Volunteers sign up as OSU volunteer citizen scientists. All supplies are provided. More information to be announced.
Searching for disease resistant tanoak. Community members that live, work or play in the generally infested area in and around Brookings Oregon can participate in the search for disease resistant tanoak. Restoring tanoak successfully to infested areas will depend on developing a tanoak genetic resistance program; a long term process involving growing and testing potential seedlings in greenhouse trials. Identifying surviving tanoaks in areas with long term infestations is the first step in a genetic resistance program. We would like your help in identifying surviving tanoak in infested areas.
Document the locations of potential disease resistant tanoak using the TreeSnap app. The TreeSnap app from the University of Tennessee (2017) allows users to document tree characteristics and locations of candidate trees with their smartphone. This app can be downloaded from your App store.
Users of the TreeSnap app agree to the terms of use policy which includes the following: by using this app you agree that you will not collect observations for trees on private land without permission. Observations may only be submitted for trees on public land, trees on the user’s own private land, or trees on other private land for which the user has obtained all necessary permissions from the private land owner. For full terms of use refer to: https://treesnap.org
How to identify possible disease resistant tanoak: Your location is important. We are looking for surviving trees in areas that have high levels of tanoak mortality for a number of years. The area referred to as the generally infested area in and around Brookings is a good place to start.
Surviving trees. Do you see a tanoak that appears to be surviving among other tanoaks that are dying? Is it completely healthy or perhaps it seems like it has been suffering for quite a while, but is still alive? Either of these conditions are interesting to us. Trees in obvious decline and dead trees are not candidates.
Download the Treesnap app from your trusted app store. Once you are in the app, select tanoak, and answer a few short questions about the candidate tree: diameter, canopy health, presence of acorns. Use your smartphone to take a photo of the tree, this automatically geolocates the tree. Find more information on Treesnap here: https://treesnap.org/
