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The City of Austin is losing one of its most important assets--the
beautiful live oaks and red oaks that form a shady, green canopy over the
city. These oak trees are being threatened by a contagious disease called
oak wilt. Over the past twenty years, Austin has lost more than 10,000
oaks to the deadly and infectious oak wilt disease. For both individuals
and the City as a whole, this loss is felt by increased utility bills,
reduced property values, and a sense of devastation.
To address this issue, the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation
Department (PARD) began the Oak Wilt Suppression Project in 1988 and it
originally ran until September 2002. The City worked in partnership with
the USDA Forest Service, the Texas Forest Service, and local neighborhood
associations. The purpose of the project was to educate the public, locate
the disease, provide technical and cost-share assistance, and monitor
treatments for any continued spread. From 2002 until January 2006, the
City of Austin was not involved in the oak wilt suppression partnership.
Beginning in 2006, the City's Watershed Protection and Development Review
Department (WPDR) renewed its partnership with state and federal agencies
as well as neighborhood associations.
The City Arborist responsible for the Oak Wilt Suppression Program
is:
Chris Dolan (512) 974-1881 or chris.dolan@ci.austin.tx.us.
For general questions concerning oak wilt, including a list of
certified private arborists, please refer to texasoakwilt.org.
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