Will Sudden Oak Death (SOD) make the leap across the country, from West Coast to East?

It appears it already has — at least in terms of the spores of the fungus that have escaped infected nurseries.

According to recent scientific studies — hytophthora ramorum — the tree pathogen that causes SOD, is persisting in water sources near some of the nurseries in the following states that originally received tainted stock: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Washington, North and South Carolina.

What does this mean for Biscayne Park? Maybe everything! Although South Florida is a unique ecosystem, different from not only California, but also the rest of the Southeastern US, we share one thing in common with our Southern neighbors. A prevalence of a type of coastal oak that stretches up from Florida through Virginia — the Live Oak –  Quercus Virginiana.

And although SOD has been studied for over 14  years and combated with millions of dollars of federal and state funds — the disease continues to kill tens of thousands of oak trees in California where it first took hold before spreading into Oregon. If it comes here, it appears it might equally be impossible to stop.

So how do we improve our odds?

1: Stop planting row after row of oaks now, so we can put more space between our existing oaks so the disease will be less likely to easily move (vector) from one tree to the other by windblown water, or from one area of our Village to another.

2: Let’s diversify and plant other beautiful trees between our oaks, including: Mahogany, Gumbo Limbo, Strangler Fig, Buttonwood, Pigeon Plum, Geigers, Royal Poincianas, Tropical Chestnuts and more,  to assure that future residents will have tree-lined medians to enjoy as we do today.

Only time will  tell whether the great old coastal oaks of the American South succumb, and it may be years or decades before we know. If it happens, the eastern coastal forests (urban and natural) will be irrevocably changed, and the disaster will be not unlike the Chestnut Blight or the loss of all the Dutch Elms that once shaded America’s eastern cities.

Regardless, the time to plan is now: and we have much to gain in terms of beauty and interest by diversifying our trees while lessening our liability and protecting our village property values.

(Source article for update on spread of SOD authored by the San Francisco Chronicle and printed July 29, 2009 in the Jefferson City News Tribune (MO).