Since 1995, several areas of coastal California have been suffering from the dieback of tanoaks, coast live oak, and black oak. Foresters are concerned about this elevated mortality as it means the loss of highly valued trees and also adds to wildfire danger by providing increased dry fuels. Pathologists have isolated an important causal agent - Phytophthora, and are currently studying additional factors including beetles, fungi, and weather.

The Center for the Assessment and Monitoring of Forest and Environmental Resources (CAMFER) is a research unit of the University of California at Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, and is studying the sudden oak death. In addition to roadside surveys and website information collection, CAMFER employed remote sensing methods by contracting with Positive Systems, Inc. to provide ADAR digital imagery (ADAR) and DIME mosaicking services to help map the extent of the condition and develop a landscape based risk model of infection that can be tested and exported to other affected areas in California.

This paper will discuss the disease outbreak and how CAMFER is using the remote sensing tools to help monitor the spread of the disease. It is hopeful that a solution using remote sensing will be found that can apply to other similar plant mortality issues.