The California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF) is a non-profit group working to manage Sudden Oak Death in California. COMTF was formed in August 2000 by merging the efforts of two separate state organizations: The California Forest Pest Council (CFPC) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). The resulting Task Force is a consensus-driven coalition of research/educational institutions, public agencies, non-profit organizations, and private interests. Its primary purpose is to coordinate research, management, monitoring, education, and public policy efforts addressing elevated levels of oak mortality in California resulting from Sudden Oak Death (SOD). As we learn more about P. ramorum, our concern has broadened to include the other diseases it causes.
The Task Force goals are to:
- Minimize the impact and spread of Phytophthora ramorum on natural, agricultural, and human communities. Test
- Coordinate an integrated response by all interested parties to address Phytophthora ramorum.
- Serve as liaison to local, state, national, and international groups.
Contact List
Task Force Chair and Special Advisors
| Chris Lee, Chair | Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |
118 South Fortuna Blvd,
Fortuna, CA 95540
|
707/726-1254 christopher.lee@fire.ca.gov |
| Susan Frankel, Co-founder and Past Chair |
Sudden Oak Death Research Program Manager, USDA-Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station | susan.frankel@usda.gov | |
| Mark Stanley, Co-founder and Past Chair |
Retired Chief Deputy Director, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | markstanley@comcast.net |
Education and Outreach Committee
Management Committee
| Yana Valachovic | Forest Advisor, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, University of California Cooperative Extension | 5630 South Broadway, Eureka, CA 95540 | 707/445-7351 yvala@ucanr.edu |
| Kerri Frangioso |
Staff Research Associate, University of California, Davis | 371 Hutchison Hall, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 | 831/620-1098 kfrangioso@ucdavis.edu |
Monitoring Committee
| Richard Cobb | Assistant Professor, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 | 805/756-6333 rccobb@calpoly.edu |
| Kim Corella | Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | 880 Manzanita Drive, Los Osos, CA 93402 | 805/550-8583 kim.corella@fire.ca.gov |
Other Phytophthoras Committee
| Diana Benner | Principal, The Watershed Nursery | 601A Canal Blvd, Richmond, CA 94804 | 510/234-2222 diana@thewatershednursery.com |
| Janell Hillman | Plant Ecologist, Santa Clara Valley Water District | 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA 95118 | 408/265-2600 jhillman@valleywater.org |
Nursery Committee
| Karen Suslow | Program Manager, National Ornamental Research Site at Dominican University in CA | 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901 | 530-681-5538   karen.suslow@dominican.edu |
| Kathy Kosta | Senior Environmental Scientist and Plant Pathologist, California Department of Food and Agriculture | Pest Exclusion Branch, 1220 N Street, Room 327, Sacramento, CA 95814 | 916/403-6634 kkosta@cdfa.ca.gov |
Regulations Committee
| Helene Wright (Federal) | Plant Health Director, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) | 650 Capital Mall Suite 6-400, Sacramento, CA 95814 | 916/930-5500 helene.r.wright@aphis.usda.gov |
| Nick Condos (State) | Branch Chief, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) | 1220 N Street Room 327, Sacramento, CA 95814 | 916/654-0312 ncondos@cdfa.ca.gov |
| Tony Linegar (County) | Agricultural Commissioner, Sonoma County | 133 Aviation Blvd, Suite 110, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 |
707/565-2371 Sonomaag@sonoma-county.org |
Research
| Susan Frankel | Sudden Oak Death Research Program Manager, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station | susan.frankel@usda.gov | |
| Dave Rizzo | Professor of Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis | 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 | 530/754-9255 dmrizzo@ucdavis.edu |
Treasurer
| Steve Jones | Retired Deputy Chief for Forestry Assistance, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | sjones.forester@gmail.com |
Liason
| Tom Smith | Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | PO Box 944246, 1416 Ninth St, Sacramento, CA 95814 | 916/599-6882 tom.smith@fire.ca.gov |
Science Advisors
| Matteo Garbelotto | Adjunct Professor and Extension Specialist, UC Berkeley | 151 Hilgard Hall, #3110, Berkeley, CA 94720 | 510/643-4282 matteog@berkeley.edu |
| Dave Rizzo | Professor of Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis | 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 | 530/754-9255 dmrizzo@ucdavis.edu |
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