Curry County homeowners, forest owners, and nursery managers are being reminded this fall about an existing state quarantine designed to slow the spread of sudden oak death in Oregon. As firewood season approaches, state and local officials say it’s a good time to reinforce awareness of the 515-square mile quarantine for Phytophthora ramorum, the organism that causes sudden oak death. The Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Curry County Commission are asking those inside the quarantine area to pay close attention to existing rules and restrictions, which generally affect the movement of plants susceptible to the disease. The quarantine has been in effect since 2001 but was nearly doubled in 2015 following discovery that the disease had spread outside the original area. Currently, the approximate boundary starts at the mouth of the Rogue River in the north, then extends east to Pebble Hill, then south to the Big Craggies, then east to Granite Butte, then south to the California border, and then west to the Pacific Ocean. A map showing the exact boundaries is available at <http://go.usa.gov/xKzRd>. Those who live, own land, or operate within this area are required to follow the quarantine rules. Certain species of oak commonly found in Oregon, including tanoak and black oak, are very susceptible and can die as a result of this disease. P. ramorum spreads mostly by air when rain splashes the spores into the wind, which carries them to another host species. However, people can also spread the disease by transporting infected plant material to uninfected areas. Besides tanoak, P. ramorum can infect many other species of trees and shrubs, including rhododendron, evergreen huckleberry, and madrone. Sudden oak death is a federally regulated disease, affecting Oregon’s ability to ship certain plants and plant products interstate and internationally. The quarantine helps limit the economic impact by slowing disease spread in forests and by helping prevent human-assisted spread of sudden oak death. It also helps limit the environmental impact on Curry County forests. The quarantine rules apply to plants and trees that are susceptible to infection by P. ramorum. The state quarantine prohibits the harvest of host material (tanoak) from known infested areas within the quarantine area. This includes restrictions on the commercial sale of tanoak firewood from within the quarantine area. The rules also apply to soil and plant debris that could be contaminated by the pathogen. For more information on P. ramorum and the Curry County quarantine, go to <http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/NurseryChristmasTree/Pages/SOD.aspx>.
