SOD Task Force
In 2017, a Task Force was convened by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Oregon State Representative David Brock Smith staffed by the Association of Oregon Counties through legislative funding.
The mission of the Task Force was to develop a collaborative-based strategic action plan, including securement of additional resources to contain the NA1 lineage of Phytophthora ramorum and eradicate the EU1 lineage in Curry County, Oregon using an ecosystem management approach that is scientifically sound, ecologically credible and economically sound.
Development and unanimous approval of the Strategic Action Plan required cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among the participating Federal agencies, and with the State of Oregon, Tribes, local governments and private landowners.
Who serves on the SOD Task Force and its subcommittees?
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Senator Merkley and Representative Brock Smith convened a large group of stakeholders, including the counties and cities in the region, state and federal agencies, local tribes, industry associations, philanthropic entities, and environmental and community groups, including (but not limited to):
Government Agencies ​
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U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Health (USDA APHIS)
Governor of Oregon’s Office/Regional Solutions
Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF)
Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Oregon Forest Industry Council (OFIC)
“I am grateful to Senator Merkley for co-convening the Sudden Oak Death Task Force and am very appreciative of his deep understanding of this issue and its potential impact on our region.”
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- OR. Representative David Brock Smith
Strategic Action Plan
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This plan was developed by the Sudden Oak Death Task Force.
Its mission is to develop a collaboration-based action plan to contain and eradicate the lineages of
P. ramorum using the best available science. The plan details how the mission will be accomplished through recommendations from the six issue-specific subcommittees.
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