Since Phytophthora ramorum is invisible to the naked eye, wildland monitoring typically relies on recognizing plant symptoms which then must be confirmed by diagnostic testing in the laboratory. Early detection monitoring uses visual vegetation surveys from aircraft or on the ground, combined with stream monitoring via baiting and water sampling. Since extensive areas in California and Oregon are at high risk, aerial surveys by planes or helicopters help monitor existing infestations that are spreading and identify new infestations early to allow for possible containment.
The links below provide wildland monitoring information on local, state or national scales. Nursery inspections and surveys are also conducted for more information see the P. ramorum in Nurseries page. Monitoring information previous to 2012 can be found on our Historical Archive page.
Online GIS maps
- SODMAP – Laboratory confirmed collections of plant and water samples from 2005 to the present, including SOD-positive as well as SOD-negative specimens to better illustrate the range and distribution of the disease
- OakMapper – Up-to-date data on locations of P. ramorum in California
California
- FS SOD aerial survey – The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection monitors Sudden Oak Death/Phytophthora ramorum-caused mortality through their aerial survey program. Map of 2012 Aerial Survey Results
- Early detection waterway monitoring by the Rizzo lab at UC Davis
- North Coast monitoring and maps by UCCE Humboldt and Del Norte Counties
- 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 early enough to justify proactive management
- Long-term monitoring plots in California coastal forests by the Rizzo lab at UC Davis
- Sierra high risk surveys – See the annual reports for these surveys (2004 CA wildland survey report; 2005 CA wildland survey report; 2006 CA wildland survey report: 2007 CA wildland survey report; 2008 CA wildland survey report; 2009 CA wildland survey report; 2010 CA wildland survey report and the master list of Sierra stream sites
Oregon
- Left, Oregon conducts a state cooperative aerial survey; find out more from the Oregon Department of Forestry and the USDA Forest Service surveys
- Right, Oregon waterways showing drainages and where P. ramorum was detected; 10 of the 56 streams baited in 2012 tested positive at least once; view the PDF here
- Also see the Oregon Forest Atlas and Forest Health Management in Oregon pages
Washington
- Phytophthora ramorum Detection and Monitoring in Western Washington Waterways – Part of FHP survey conducted in Washington; contact Daniel Omdal for more information.
- As part of the overall WSU Sudden Oak Death Program, citizen scientists are helpful in monitoring waterways;for more information, see WSU citizen stream monitoring.
National
Started in 2006, the USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Monitoring runs an annual cooperative Sudden Oak Death National Wildland Detection Survey for early detection. The survey is voluntary and administered in collaboration with state forestry or natural resource agencies. The areas to survey are prioritized based on risk maps and confirmed trace-forward nursery plant locations. High risk streams in 17 states are monitored via baiting. Once a positive sample is determined, intensive ground surveys of potential stream-side vegetation hosts are conducted. Protocols are posted at http://fhm.fs.fed.us/sp/sod/sod.shtml. The survey has detected the pathogen in several streams in Washington state and in waterways in several southeastern U.S. states. See the map below or download the June 2012 Positives Map.
