Efficacy of local eradication treatments against the sudden oak death epidemic in Oregon tanoak forests

Phytophthora ramorum, cause of sudden oak death, has been distributed widely across the United States in horticultural situations, but is not established in forests outside of California and Oregon. Here, it has triggered widespread concern and, especially in Oregon, an intensive disease management programme. Now, we provide the first systematic evaluation of the efficacy of that effort. This paper evaluates four measures of the efficacy of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) local eradication treatments: inoculum availability; inoculum from tree species other than tanoak; disease spread from treated areas; and cumulative infested area with and without treatment. We conclude that local treatments demonstrably reduce local inoculum levels. Eradication of SOD from infested sites is difficult but not impossible. The disease usually does not persist after cutting infected trees but spread on the landscape continues because the pathogen may be present on undetected new infections for a year or two before whole tree symptoms are visible. This limits early detection and coupled with delays in completing eradication treatments, prolongs the chances for long‐distance aerial dispersal.