Governance

NORS-DUC Committees

Executive Committee                              Steering Committee                     

Communications Committee                  Federal, State and Local Committee            Forestry Committee

National interests Committee                 Nursery Association Committee                  Nursery Industry Committee

NPB Working Group Committee             Research Committee 

Executive Committee Purpose and Mission

The Executive committee will be ultimately responsible for implementing the activities that occur at the NORS-DUC.  The research that occurs there will have national and international implications and the limited resources available at NORS-DUC must be strategically managed. 

The Executive committee will review the recommendations from the NORS-DUC Steering committee on research projects and site management and make management decisions for the NORS-DUC. 

These decisions will take into account the short-, intermediate- and long-term goals of the National Ornamentals Research Site.  It is imperative that NORS-DUC, once completed, be utilized to its fullest capacity. 

To this end, experiments will be scheduled and prioritized by the steering committee and managed by the administrative officials within Dominican University of California, pending final approval by the ADODR. 

NORS-DUC Executive Committee

• Russ Bulluck, USDA APHIS PPQ Representative and ADODR
• Aurelio Posadas, NPB Representative
• Sibdas Ghosh, DUC Representative

Steering Committee Purpose and Mission

The purpose of the Steering Committee is to work with Executive Committee to establish overall priorities and provide general direction and management by identifying and implementing research that supports the general purpose of the project. The primary role is to identify and prioritize research proposals and confirm conformity to safeguards and permit requirements.

The Steering Committee will provide recommendations for the oversight and direction of the site and will work in concert with the Research Committee. The Research Committee will suggest experimental design, review experiments and to guarantee a broad national research support base. The participants on the committee will represent regulatory agencies, the nursery industry and P. ramorum research scientists.

NORS-DUC Steering Committee

The Steering committee will consist of the chairs of each committee that makes up the NORS-DUC governance structure.  It is encumbent upon the chairs of each committee to meet with (at least virtually via teleconference) the members of their individual committees to obtain input and guidance regarding NORS-DUC direction.

• Scott Pfister, USDA APHIS PPQ, EDP, rep and Steering Committee Chair
• Phil Berger, USDA APHIS CPHST PPQ, ET, Ex-officio Member  
• Karen Suslow, Hines Nursery, Chair of Nursery Industry Committee
• Susan Frankel, USDA FS, Chair of Forestry Committee
• Rick Bennett, Univ. of Arkansas, Chair of Research Committee
• Kathleen Kosta, CDFA, Chair of Federal, State and Local Committee
• Christel Harden, SCDA, NPB, P ramorum Working Group Committee
• Chris Zanobini, CGFA, Chair of Nursery Association Committee
• Craig J. Regelbrugge, ANLA, Chair of National Interests Committee
• Sarah Gardner, DUC, Chair of the Communications Committee

Nursery Industry Committee

This committee will consist of members of the nursery industry and researchers who work on P. ramorum in the nursery setting.  The participants will provide input to the development and management of the facility. Immediate responsibilities include: Set up the Forest Meadows Research Site, set objectives for the design of the Deer Park Research Site, assist in planning the transitions to new pest research, serve as liaison to California Oak Mortality Task Force and provide feedback from COMTF.

• Karen Suslow, Hines Nurseries, Chair
• Sarah Eschmeyer, Briggs Nursery
• Jerry Lee, Monrovia Nursery Company
• Steve Jeffers, Clemson University
• Steve Tjosvold, UCCE, Santa Cruz County
• Michael Henkes, DUC

Forestry Committee

This committee will provide input to accommodate forestry interests and ensure that research to that end is accomplished.  The participants will interface with other NORS-DUC committees (research, nursery, federal/state National Plant Board group, communications, etc.) and provide recommendations to the Steering Committee. 

• Susan Frankel, USDA FS, Chair
• Mark Stanley, CDF
• Everett Hansen, OSU
• Steve Oak, USDA FS
• Bruce Moltzen USDA FS
• Alison Forrestel, National Park Service (Pt. Reyes)
• Dave Rizzo, UCD

The NORS-DUC Forestry Committee’s charge is to:

1. serve as a liaison between forestry professionals and the NORS-DUC;
2. identify issues, research needs and educational opportunities for the wildland aspects of Phytophthora ramorum/sudden oak death or other emerging, damaging forest pathogen or insect concerns that could be best addressed at NORS-DUC;
3. provide technical assistance to the NORS-DUC staff and collaborators related to sudden oak death and other wildland aspects of Phytophthora ramorum.  Duties might include reviewing proposals and survey protocols, advising on propagation, seed collection, stream baiting, diagnostics or laboratory methods.

Research Committee

The committee will insure that the objectives and mission of NORS-DUC are aligned with the chosen projects goals. Immediate responsibilities are to determine how to announce calls for proposals, prepare a nursery research list to send to scientists likely to submit a request for proposal (RFP), and identify the criteria for evaluating the proposals.

• Rick Bennett, University of Arkansas, Chair
• Mary Palm, USDA APHIS PPQ
• Mark Teffeau, HRI
• Karen Suslow, Hines Nurseries
• Susan Frankel, USDA FS
• Mike Benson, North Carolina State University
• Cheryl Blomquist, CDFA
• John Inman, Fera Defra

Federal State and Local Committee

This committee will address local and state concerns. They will develop and define permit conditions and safeguards and modify periodically as needed.

• Kathy Kosta, CDFA, Chair
• Stacy Carlson, Marin County Ag Commissioner
• Steve Stafford, Associate Planner, City of San Rafael
• Prakash Hebbar, USDA APHIS PPQ
• Carolyn Pizzo, USDA APHIS PPQ
• Sarah Gardner, DUC, Public Relation

NPB Working Group Committee

This is an established committee and will serve as a conduit of information from the NPB. They will provide input on preferred or recommended research.

• Christel Harden, Clemson University DPI, Chair
• Victoria Smith, NPB
• Kathy Kosta, CDFA
• Prakash Hebbar, USDA APHIS PPQ
• Brad White, NPB
• Jan Hedburg, NPB
• Collin Wamsley, PrWG, CPB, NPB

Nursery Association Committee

This committee will provide recommendations from nursery associations across the USA and Canada on the research they consider to be needed and their preferred proposals.

• Chris Zanobini, CGFA, Chair
• John Aguirre, OAN
• Tom O’Brien, CANGC
• Jeanne McNeil, WNLA
• Craig Regelbrugge, ANLA
• Hedy Dyck, BCLNA

National Interests Committee

This committee will provide input related to national interests, including nursery, forest, conservation and other potential interests.

• Craig Regelbrugge, ANLA, Chair
• Lin Schmale, SAF
• Frank Lowenstein, Nature Conservancy
• Shane Sela, CFIA
• Alan Inman, Fera Defra
• Tom O’Brien, CANGC

Communications Committee

This committee will serve as point of contact for the public inquiries regarding NORS-DUC and for all public or press releases regarding the project.

• Sarah Gardner, DUC, Chair
• Larry Hawkins, USDA APHIS LPA
• Mike Jarvis, CDFA, Public Affairs
• Katie Palmieri, COMTF
• Stephanie Yao, USDA-ARS, Public Affairs Specialist
• Wendy Holden, USDA FS, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Public Affairs