Can't Touch This...Poison Oak

1. Click on the speaker icon

2. Introduction: “do you actually want to be
introduced to this?”….
 The Pacific Poison Oak— is a woody shrub or vine that grows
along the West Coast from British Columbia to Baja.

3. Why the bad rap?.....
 The “poison” in Pacific Poison Oak is called Urushiol (oo-roo-she-all), Oil and it is
extremely Potent!
 Urushiol oil is what causes the allergic skin rash on contact. Initial symptoms can take 24-
48 hours or even up to a week to appear
 Only 1 nanogram is needed to cause rash
 500 people could itch from the amount covering the head of a pin
 Urushiol oil does not evaporate and can stay active on any surface (including a dead
poison oak plant) for 1 – 5 years
 The oil can spread from contaminated clothing, shoes, gloves, tools and pets (the toxin is
harmless to animals).
 The word urushi, is the Japanese word for “lacquer”
 When the Japanese restored the gold leaf on the Golden Temple in Kyoto, Japan, they
painted urushiol lacquer on it to preserve and maintain the gold. I Guess that way if
anyone tried to steal the gold off of the Temple “they would be caught red handed”!

4.  David Douglas:
David Douglas, a Scottish botanist and naturalist was the first to
document the Pacific Poison Oak after encountering it in British
Columbia on Vancouver Island..
On a side note, the Douglas fir was named in honor of Mr. Douglas
….a piece of history which I’m sure he is quite grateful for.
Who can we blame?....
It’s NOT a shamrock!!

5. Sooo..What does Pacific
Poison Oak look like?
 In the spring, the green to reddish green leaflets will be small and shiny. the plant may have
inconspicuous, small greenish white flowers & berries.
 In the summer It’s appearance changes to a deeper green and if berries are present, they turn red
in late summer
 and in autumn, the color can turn to bronze and even a dark purplish-red, especially in sunlit
locations

6. More fun facts:
 Grows only at altitudes below 5,000 ft.
 Poison oak can be a low creeper
 a small, upright bush
 a substantial shrub
 Or, with the support of a large tree — a thick, climbing vine.
 Leaflets are scalloped like a True oak and can range in size from the
length of your thumb to the length of your hand, and have hairs on both
sides (the leaflets, hopefully not your hand!).
 Middle leaflet has a notably longer stem than the two side leaflets,
(though more obvious in Poison Ivy) in than Poison Oak
 All parts of the plant contain the toxins (leaflets, stems, and roots)
 Locally: A familiar, (yet often unrecognized) inhabitant of the Columbia
River Gorge & lower Mt. Hood area hiking trails

7. You CAN touch this..
http://wyeastblog.org/2012/05/28/10-common-poison-oak-myths/

8. Myths Facts
“Poison oak rash is contagious.” Rubbing the rashes won't spread poison oak to other parts of
your body (or to another person). You spread the rash only if
urushiol oil -- the sticky, resin-like substance that causes the
rash -- has been left on your hands.
“You can catch poison oak simply by being near the plants” Direct contact is needed to release urusiol oil. Stay away from
forest fires, direct burning, or anything else that can cause the
oil to become airborne such as a lawnmower, trimmer, etc.
“I've been in poison oak many times and never broken out.
I'm immune.”
Not necessarily true. 90% of people are allergic to urushiol oil,
the biggest factor is time and exposure. The more times you
are exposed to urushiol, the more likely it is that you will break
out with an allergic rash. For the first time sufferer, it generally
takes longer for the rash to show up - generally in 7 to 10 days

9. Do’s and (Seriously)
Don’ts!
 IF YOU HAVE POISON OAK ON YOUR PROPERTY:
 IF YOU’RE HEADING OUT TO ENJOY NATURE:
DON’TS
Sack it!
Bag the plants, roots and debris in plastic, then
take to the dumpster or land fill.
Never Burn It!
NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER try to burn out
poison oak or ivy or add it to a burn pile. Smoke
can and will carry the poison. Inhalation can
damage lung tissue and can lead to a long
hospital visit or death. If you ever do burn out an
area of brush, stay out of the smoke
Not Baaaahhhd!
Goats! do an excellent job of cleaning out poison
oak and other unwanted (and wanted) brush,
especially when its growing up in the fence line,
trees, etc.
Never Mow It Down!
NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, use a lawn mower,
DOS DON’TS
Cover Up: Wear long pants, long sleeves, boots,
and gloves.
Don’t touch your face: Keep hands and arms away
from your face and eyes

10. What if you do touch it?
 In the early 1950s, during the Cold War, chemist Dr. Robert Smith invented a waterless skin
cleanser for the removal of radioactive dust.
 Dr. Smith relocated his family from Indiana to Oregon, where his wife, discovered that the
cleanser, by then named Tecnu (for “technically new”),had another use. After an exposure to
poison oak, she washed the affected areas with Tecnu and did not get a rash. After more testing
by the Oregon State University Forestry Department, the cleanser was proven successful at
removing Urushiol oil from skin, clothing, and pets’ fur.
 Wash with Tecnu to remove poison ivy, oak and sumac oil. When used within 2-8 hours after
exposure to poison oak, ivy or sumac, Tecnu can remove urushiol oil before the rash begins.
 Once a poison plant rash has started, washing with Tecnu helps remove any residual toxic oil on
the skin to avoid re-contamination.
 -See more at: http://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu#sthash.zlUJtILF.dpuf
Pre-application products containing Bentoquatam:
 Bentoquatam (BEN-toe-kwa-tam)
 A skin barrier that is supposed to your skin from the effects of urushiol oil
 Even when you apply a skin barrier that contains bentoquatam, you still need to
cover your skin with clothing.
 Must be applied 15 min before exposure (not for children under 6 yrs. of age), and
every 4 hours or sooner if sweat or rubbed off
 Highly flammable!! Keep away from campfires, camp stoves, etc.!!
 In sensitive individuals, product can cause mild to sever Allergic reaction
Tecnu® Original Outdoor Skin Cleanser

11. If in doubt…..
Enjoy the outdoors, but do so by being a good steward of the
land.
Always stay on designated trails, especially in heavily visited
areas
…..maybe things like the Pacific Poison Oak is just Mother Nature
way of teaching humankind to respect the gifts of nature …