Spread Knowledge, not SOD! Sudden Oak Death Outreach with the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County SOD Specialists

Kerry E. Wininger, University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County

Approximately 50 million trees had died from sudden oak death (SOD) in 2019, with ~200 million infected in California, where Sonoma County leads in cases. Per October 2021’s Northwestern CA Preliminary Report, SOD killed more trees than any other disease or insect that year in this area. 2021 SOD Blitz estimated true-infection rates in Mendocino and Sonoma counties remain elevated despite showing record-breaking drops statewide, and new outbreaks continue to appear in this region.
 
Thanks to funding from the USDA Forest Service, the Sudden Oak Death Outreach Program of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties provides practical, evidence-based information to a diverse audience. We aim to understand the impact of SOD in these counties, promote forest health to preserve habitat & high value trees, and slow spread. Homeowners, arborists and land managers rely on our community education and citizen science research for up-to-date information about disease biology, diagnosis, spread & management options.

Master Gardener SOD Specialists are volunteer educators, receiving specialized training to work with homeowners, community groups, students & public land users via education events, a staffed hotline, info booths, written communication, and the yearly SOD Blitz events. The program coordinator works with landowners, tree-care professionals, tribal groups, educators and natural resource managers on disease detection and management, provides Master Gardener trainings, supervises interns and creates visibility at events, in the media and online. Program Advisors Mike Jones & Steven Swain supply expertise in education, help develop workshops and give scientific direction to the program.

By empowering knowledgeable and passionate volunteers to interact with the public, the Sudden Oak Death Outreach Program of Sonoma County helps spread the word about SOD in the wider community at a very low cost, helping to mitigate the many impacts of this disease.