Predicting Forest Health: Sudden Oak Death in Coast Live Oak Trees

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a disease caused by an introduced oomycete (water mold) called Phytophthora ramorum and is infecting various tree species in the Northern & Central California range, most specifically coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), the dominant oak species in this range. Research and data have been collected in a multi-year study of multiple 10-m radius fixed plots in oak-bay stands in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) by the Wood Lab at UC Berkeley to monitor the infection of SOD on the tree species located in the area. Students will learn how to survey forest plots at Redwood Regional Park, one of the parks in EBRPD, by identifying the symptoms of SOD and collecting data on the status of the mortality of the trees. In the classroom, students will analyze the data collected by the Wood Lab over a 5 year period and make predictions about the status of the forest over time. Students will create a mini-poster to present their findings and make further recommendations for park management by EBRPD.