This one-day course will be of use to anyone interested in managing laminated root rot (LRR; caused by the pathogen Phellinus sulphurascens) in urban forests or timber production areas of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. This course occurs within the setting of an urban coastal Douglas-fir forest where LRR has been managed for over the past 20+ years using several leading-edge approaches.

The intent of the course is to provide arborists and foresters alike with a comprehensive understanding of:

1. The most current information on the signs/symptoms of LRR as well as the biology of the causal pathogen, and,
2. Techniques on how to best detect, assess and manage long-term LRR impacts in the context of an urban forest as well as other land management situations.
3. Basic approaches to assist in the risk assessment of trees within forests prone to laminated root impacts.

Background
Tree mortality and forest structure impacts associated with LRR are extremely difficult to manage in Douglas-fir forests. Disease sources can persist for decades in the roots of host trees and provide a long-term threat to the health, structure and stability of maturing forests. The activity of this disease that can result in large areas of conifer forest cover shifting to those dominated by brush and deciduous tree species. Inaccurate detection and ineffective management treatments allow disease spread and increase associated impacts over time.
With the spread of LRR occurring on the roots of host tree species, it is it impossible to determine the exact location of infected wood tissues without large-scale soil excavations.
The most practical approach to identifying potentially diseased trees and disease management areas is to use above-ground signs and tree crown symptoms. Disease signs and symptoms can at times be subtle and variable due to numerous site-related factors including forest age, site history, location, site moisture/ nutrient conditions, tree species mixes, site disturbances and hazard tree removal activities. The failure to appropriately account for these influences can result in inaccurate disease assessments, unsuccessful management treatments and long-term impacts to health and stability of forests.

This all-day course has morning lectures in the Rotary Field House of South Surrey Recreation Center complex and afternoon field sessions in the Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest. In-class lectures will cover pathogen biology along with disease detection, assessment and management techniques. This session will also provide background information on the field site and describe the successes and challenges experienced during 20+ years of LRR monitoring and management activities.
The afternoon field session will demonstrate approaches to LRR identification and disease control techniques used to date in the area’s coastal Douglas-fir forests. There will be in-depth discussions on the lessons-learned from these disease control measures undertaken as well as the application of risk assessment tools.

PAYMENT & REGISTRATION FEE

You must pay by credit card to register online. Credit cards are charged at the time of registration.  Payable in US Dollars. 

• PNW-ISA Chapter Member US$200

• Non PNW Chapter Member US$250 

• Chapter Student Member US$125 

Deadline to register and include lunch is Friday November 29, 2024.   Registrations made after November 29th, you will need to bring your own lunch.

Cancellations made after the deadline of November 29th will incur a $50 fee.  No refunds for no shows. 

Instructor
Jeff Fournier is a Professional Forester with over 30 years of forest health management experience in both industry and the provincial government. He has worked as Regional Forest Pathologist, entomology consultant/researcher, silviculture forester/planner, pesticide specialist amongst other roles. Jeff has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry as well as a Masters of Pest Management. His master’s thesis researched the control the spread of Phellinus weirii in immature Douglas-fir forests though tree felling. Since 2006, Jeff has acted as a consultant for City of Surrey assessing and providing management options for laminated root rot and other tree diseases in Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest and other urban forests.

* Includes presentation content from Rona N. Sturrock, a Retired Research Scientist of Forest Pathology. She has a BSc from UVIC (1983) and a Master of Pest Management degree from SFU (1989). Rona was with the Canadian Forest Service (CFS), Victoria BC for 30 years (1986-2016). During that time, she conducted research on forest pathogens of nursery-grown coniferous seedlings and helped provide extension services in this area (1986-1988). From 1989 to 1990 she was seconded to a program assisting BC First Nations develop and manage their forest resources. From 1991-2016 Rona conducted research on the Laminated root rot (LRR) fungus, Coniferiporia sulphurascens (synonyms include: Phellinus sulphurascens, Phellinus weirii, Phellinidium weirii and Poria weirii). Rona’s research papers, reports, and guides on LRR cover aspects of disease management, the biology and diversity of C. sulphurascens, and molecular aspects of the C. sulphurascens-Douglas-fir interaction.