Oak Wilt Fungal Mats

The funding allocation percentage for trench vs oak wilt infected red oak removal are extremely disproportionate. This must change.

This webpage (as does every page in the oak wilt section of this website) seeks to bring attention and provide the argument for a major adjustment in their current practices.

Why has the “science” of the TFS reversed?! Let me explain, in 2003 the TFS instructions were to destroy infected red oaks that were likely to form fungal mats “in the fall or the following spring.” Eighteen years later in 2021, they are saying they are only interested in destroying those red oaks that may form fungal mats “the following spring.” Are we to believe that there was no basis for them ever saying that mats formed in the fall? Or has some phenomenon of nature occurred between then and now where we can be assured mats no longer form in the fall?! Even more unbelievable is the bewildering TFS positions that: red oaks only sometimes form fungal mats or red oaks are only “occasionally” grafted with other oaks or overland transmission is uncommon. Within the areas of Texas that are most significantly impacted by oak wilt – these positions are simply not true. Further, lets point out the most obvious – namely, that the TFS says to avoid pruning on February 1st, but spring doesn’t start until March 20th!

One wonders if a choice was made to “strengthen” their moratorium on spring pruning by selectively eliminating the scientific facts above in order to manipulate the masses into conformity. One may also wonder if that to limit their expenditures on infected red oak removals – they opted to narrow the time window of danger, thus allowing them to allocate more to quantity of trench footage installed (that they frequently use for bragging about their program’s “success”). I sure hope this isn’t the case but I must say I’ve heard some things from some of those who know some things…

The most fundamental tenant of a successful oak wilt prevention measure against the occurrence of a new infection center is this: Reduce the source of inoculum.

This is a plant pathology management at its most fundamental level. One must stop it at its source. The current focus of the TFS vector-centric approach of painting oak cuts is a secondary reaction, ignorant of plant pathology 101 and common-sense practicality.

At best, humans make and can at best seal only about half of all tree wounds that occur annually on any given property. The most repetitive and often the worst ones will never be painted because they are occurrences of natural wounds: 

• Animal damage (deer, porcupine, squirrel, horses, etc.)
• Branch breaks/trees falling over (wind or “sudden limb failure”)
• Rubbing branches
• Lightning damage
• Freeze/ice damage (yes, and BTW winter wounds take a considerably longer time to cure than the other 3 seasons)