Pala Resort

Join us on June 3 - 4, 2014 at Pala Resort and Casino For the state of Goldspotted Oak Borer: Since the discovery of goldspotted oak borer (GSOB; Agrilus auroguttatus) in 2008 and its connection to extreme oak tree mortality, there has been considerable research and outreach conducted on this non-native pest. GSOB conintues to be a threat to native... oak species found throughout California and southern Oregon: coast live oak, California black oak and canyon live oak. Researchers and specialists on GSOB will be presenting a state of the science, policy and outreach update seminar event on June 3, 2014 followed by an organizational meeting of the Goldspotted Oak Borer Task Force on June 4, 2014. Co-Sponsored by the Southern California Committee of the California Forest Pest Council; the Pala Band of Mission Indians - Pala Environmental Department and Pala Casino Spa Resort; the USDA Forest Service and the University of California Cooperative Extension. Much of this stand of coast live oak trees near Descanso is dead. Virtually all of the remaining trees are infested with the goldspotted oak borer. University of California Riverside Gold-spotted oak borers have killed more than 80,000 oak trees in San Diego County over the past decade -- nearly four times as many as scientists figured at the start of 2011. Researchers at the University of California Riverside released the latest numbers Friday as they stepped up their call for residents and businesses not to move oak firewood from infested areas. They said the new estimate is based on more refined mapping techniques, not an explosion of tree mortality in the past eight months. Still, the figures provided a sobering reminder about the bug's destructive power and the stakes for containing it. It's only been found in San Diego County so far, a hopeful sign as researchers search for control methods. Gold-spotted oak borer Tom Coleman, USDA This may be the biggest oak mortality event since the Pleistocene" 12,000 years ago, said Tom Scott, a natural resource specialist ...Read More