An Integral Ecology of Sudden Oak Death

The oak woodlands of central and northern California have seen a rapid decline of native oak trees in the last ten years attributed to Sudden Oak Death (SOD).P. ramorum has been isolated as the forest pathogenfocusing the academic and public research agenda.Integral Ecology offers a systematic approachas a means of balancing multiple perspectives. Science is seldom value free and offers morethen one conclusion. Alternatively Sudden Oak Deathis a response to a larger set of variables includingshifting climate general forest decline and theongoing impact from human activities. For an integralecology all parties may be partially correct--thedifference is in perspective. The interpretation ofSudden Oak Death as P. ramorum encouragesinstitutions to combat the disease using technologyand research as its primary tool. SOD as forestdecline offers a choice to either deny ourrole in these changes or to learn and adaptwith it. In this capacity nature is the teacher andwe are the students.