The Forestry Commission announced recent tree restrictions on conifer trees brought in after a tree disease finding has been lifted in seven counties across England as of today (March 4).
This is after a review that concluded the tree disease Phytophthora pluvailis no longer meets the criteria for quarantine pest status.
Demarcated areas in Cornwall and Devon, Cumbria, Herefordshire, Surrey, Gloucestershire and Shropshire have been revoked with immediate effect.
Now enabling the unrestricted movement of affected conifer species for the forestry and plant trade sector.
Phytophthora pluvialis is a fungus-like pathog​​en primarily affecting Douglas fir and Western hemlock. It was first identified in Great Britain on Western hemlock in Cornwall in September 2021.
It was the first finding of the pathogen in Europe, and precautionary measures were introduced placing movement restrictions on affected areas.
The decision to lift restrictions came after four years of scientific study, primarily undertaken by Forest Research, to better understand the risk of the disease.
According to the Forestry Commission, that research, together with surveillance data that confirmed no positive findings had been identified at any nursery sites in the restricted areas, the UK’s Plant Health Risk Group concluded the disease poses a low environmental and economic risk.
Demarcated areas in Scotland and Wales will also be lifted, reflecting a coordinated GB-wide approach to plant health policy.
‘Positive outcome’
Prof. Nicola Spence, chief plant health officer at Defra, said that this is a positive outcome for the forestry and plant trade sector, and “underlines the importance of our robust, evidence-led plant health surveillance and research programmes”.
She said: “When this was first identified in Great Britain in 2021 there were significant uncertainties regarding its impact.
“Four years of Defra-funded research have shown Phytophthora pluvialis does not pose the level of risk to justify continued quarantine measures and has allowed us to now reassess the risk of this pathogen.”
Forestry Commission head of Plant Health Forestry, Andrea Deol encouraged woodland owners to continue to look for signs of the disease and follow good biosecurity practices to reduce the risk of spread of pests and diseases.
