Pathology > Forest Pathology

Welcome to the home page for Forest Pathology Research at the Canadian Forest Service - Pacific Forestry Centre. Our goal is to provide information on forest pathology topics and research. Our intended audience is a broad one that includes the general public and community groups, professional and technical foresters and researchers, arborists, and woodlot owners.

Armillaria ostoyae rhizomorphs in culture. Rhizomorphs grow through the soil to infect roots of healthy trees.

This site currently provides:

• Introductions to forest pathology and root diseases
• Tabulated and summary information on root diseases affecting conifers and hardwoods in Canada's forests including:
• Armillaria root disease
• Laminated root rot
• Tomentosus root disease, and
• Annosus root disease
• A list of root disease research staff at the Pacific Forestry Centre
• Listings of root disease publications by author and subject and access to some publications in PDF format
• Related Canadian Forest Service links

In the future this site will provide information on stem diseases, foliage and branch diseases, and cone and seed diseases.

We welcome any comments, suggestions, and questions you have on this site. Please send your comments to

Rona Sturrock or Mike Cruickshank.

White pine blister rust, caused by an introduced fungal species (Cronartium ribicola), is one of the, most serious problems affecting western white pine (Pinus monticola).