Seven years ago I began treating a group of coast live oaks with fire mimicry. Several of the oaks are infected with bleeding stem cankers, probably Sudden Oak Death. Despite being diseased, the oaks have shown a steady recovery over the years as can be seen in these photos from 2013, and 2015. On Tuesday I checked on these oaks again and as the photos here show their health, for the most part, continues to improve.
For all the fear-filled hype about diseases and insect pests ravaging our forests, I find very little news about the fact that, whether or not the trees are infected with this disease or infested with that pest or stressed by climate change, sick trees can be brought back to health. I know this from doing the work, treating sick trees, and seeing the results such as these.
Sudden Oak Life 
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