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Building Regulations and Accreditation
News Release from: Forestry Commission
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 08 December 2003
More Resources And New Disease
Confirmations
Confirmation of three new findings of Phytophthora ramorum in tree species has raised concerns about the recent spread of the disease to trees in Britain.
Phytophthora ramorum is the pathogen causing death of oak trees on the west coast of America The new cases, at two locations in the south west of England, have been found in beech, horse chestnut and holm oak and are associated with previous adjacent findings of the disease in rhododendron
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 15 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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This follows the pattern set by the first confirmation of Phytophthora ramorumin a southern red oak in Sussex earlier in November.
All the sites are being closely monitored.
An intensive survey programme of retail outlets, nurseries, gardens and other established planting areas has been underway since the first finding was confirmed in April 2002.
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Precautionary eradication and containment action will continue, and surveillance will now be increased to reduce the risk of spread of this pathogen into the wider natural environment.
Buyers of host species - mainly rhododendrons, camellias and viburnum - are advised to check plants before purchase for symptoms of the disease and to contact their garden centres if these subsequently develop.
Ben Bradshaw, Minister for Nature Conservation, said: "At this stage, we are unsure of the implications of this ramorum disease for our native trees.
These findings are a matter of concern and we urgently need to assess, with the relevant expert groups, the best way forward to limit the disease's impact.
"We are committing significant extra resources to this including increased surveillance of imports; research into epidemiology and control of the disease; and measures to identify, contain and eradicate outbreaks." Roddie Burgess, Head of the Forestry Commission's Plant Health Service, said: "Although not native to England, holm oak is a European oak rather than an American oak, and is quite abundant especially in the south of England.
Horse chestnut, too is an introduced species but is not widely planted.
Beech is common across much of Britain and our original research at the Forest Research Agency pointed up the potential risk to this species.
" So far, our surveys have focused on areas of woodland where Defra's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate has taken action against infected rhododendron and other ericaceous species.
We are now going to step up our surveillance of woodland, to give us better information about the spread of the pathogen into our trees and the link with Phytophthora ramorum in rhododendron.
So far, our surveys have focused on areas of woodland where Defra's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate has taken action against infected rhododendron and other ericaceous species.
"We are keen to gather this information as quickly as possible and expect to complete this initial woodland survey by April next year.".
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