Sudden Oak Death Blitz at Ocean Song-Myers
Saturday, May 4th, 2024
10 am- 2 pm
Event led in English
Register Here
Where: Ocean Song-Myers is the 800-acre protected preserve in west Sonoma County stewarded by LandPaths. The land is the ancestral territory of the Southern Pomo people and the Coast Miwok people since time memorial. The land is vibrant with native coastal grasslands, canyons, ponds and streams, mixed oak woodlands, redwoods, and a habitat garden that benefits pollinators, birds, and humans alike.
Help us learn about and protect our precious oak species! Sudden oak death is a tree disease caused by a pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum). This plant pathogen has killed over 1 million oak and tan oak trees in the past decade. During this event, you can learn how to identify sudden oak death in California Bay Laurels and various Oak species and learn how to limit Sudden Oak Death transmission on your own property. This event is part of a larger state-wide survey called the SOD Blitz, now in its 17th year.
Before attending this event, please watch this training video:
https://nature.berkeley.edu/matteolab/?p=3314
Tasks include:
-
Surveying trees for Sudden Oak Death symptoms.
-
Collecting bay leaves and placing them in envelopes.
-
Fill out information in a data sheet.
Where to Meet: We'll meet at 10am at the large, red-roof barn next to the dirt parking lot.
Directions to Ocean Song – From the town of Occidental, head west on Coleman Valley Rd for 1.8 Miles. At the stop sign, turn right to remain on Coleman Valley Rd and continue an additional 3.4 miles to the main entrance to the preserve (19100 Coleman Valley Road), which will be on your left. Look for the LandPaths' sign in the driveway. Staff or volunteers will direct you towards the barn and parking area.
What is LandPaths' Covid-19 volunteer workday policy? Please read the most recent version of LandPaths' Covid-19 policy before attending the workday.
Does rain mean the workday is cancelled? The stewardship workday will move forward if there is a light drizzle, but a torrential rainstorm will cancel. Please call 707-544-7284 (then press 1) after 7am the morning of the stewardship day if the weather feels questionable. If you don't hear a notice of cancellation on the outgoing voice message, the stewardship day is moving forward.
What to Bring With You:
-
Picnic lunch, snacks & plenty of water, backpack to hold your gear
-
Sturdy boots or shoes that can get muddy
-
Long pants recommended
-
Work gloves
-
Hat and sun screen
-
Hand sanitizer and mask
What else do you need to know?
-
You will be asked to sign a liability waiver.
-
No stewardship or volunteer workday experience is necessary!
-
There is a restroom on the property.
-
There is no potable water available on the property.
-
No pets or smoking.
-
No overnight camping allowed at the property.
We are excited to team up with you and take care of the land together!
