Tanoak, Notholithocarpus densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) Manos, Cannon & S. H. Oh (Fagaceae), is an important component of mixed-evergreen forests and woodlands in coastal California and Oregon, with incursions into the Sierra Nevada and the Klamath Ranges. Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is causing severe dieback and mortality in tanoak and could transform these ecosystems in areas where the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum S. Werres, A.W.A.M. de Cock can become established. Knowledge of genetic diversity within the species is important for both disease resistance screening, conservation and replanting in sites with high mortality. Here we review what has been learned about the genetic structure within tanoak since SOD has caused disease epidemics in the species. We review published work on genetic structure at the species level and provide some re-analyses of these data that show divergence across the geographic range. We also review recently published data on genetic structure at a fine spatial scale that provides some guidelines for the selection of trees as seed sources. Finally, we interpret a range of seed provenancing strategies in the light of our knowledge of tanoak genetic diversity.