Tree Health and Biosecurity
links are in this column
This column contains a short introduction to the link.
Report suspected tree pests and diseases found anywhere in the UK.
"Within Forest Research, the Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service provides advice and where possible diagnosis and identification of tree pests and diseases.
Tree Alert is used to gather information about tree health issues across Great Britain. This information supports important tree health monitoring and surveillance work, contributes to ongoing scientific research, and helps to protect the nation's trees."
Observatree
(citizen science project led by Forest Research in collaboration with partners)
"An early warning system for tree health
Using citizen science, we aim to help spot new pest and disease threats to UK trees"
Website includes a priority list of tree pests and diseases with resources for each pest/disease including identification guides, training videos, and management information.
IF IN DOUBT, REPORT TO TreeAlert.
"The Plant Health Management Standard sets out a number of practical requirements for businesses to help protect the plant supply chain. The standard is regarded as the benchmark biosecurity standard and forms the basis of the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme.
Plant Healthy is a voluntary initiative designed to drive up biosecurity standards across the ornamental horticulture, forestry and amenity plant and tree supply chains, regardless of whether they import stock, source, and grow only in the UK, or both. To date, 14 major UK nurseries are fully certified and there are several more in the pipeline."
(Source: 20th April 2022 Forestry Commission blog)
Tree health news is a newsletter with updates and insight on tree health. The Forestry Commission issues these newsletters by email (intended quarterly, seems to have lapsed - last issue April 2023).
"An online hub for plant health information, data and resources": use the search facility to find information specifically relating trees and the pests and diseases that affect them.
Tree health and biosecurity is part of the wider work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
Plant health controls guidance (DEFRA, APHA)
Additionally:-
"The International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN) has been established to facilitate collaboration amongst institutes around the world, with a focus on linking botanic gardens and arboreta, National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) and plant health scientists. The main aim being for these institutes to work together in order to provide an early warning system of new and emerging pest and pathogen risks. Hence, member gardens working with NPPOs help to provide scientific evidence regarding known quarantine organisms and potential new risks in order to inform plant health activities and thus help safeguard susceptible plant species worldwide."
Relevant Research
(see list for links)
The Biosecurity Risks of International Forest Tree Seed Movements (Published: 29 December 2023)
"Because tree seeds have been considered a low-risk pathway for the spread of plant pathogenic fungi, their international movement is not subject to strict phytosanitary regulation. However, recent studies have provided scientific evidence that the biosecurity risk of seed trade may not be as negligible as assumed. This review summarises current knowledge about seed trade activity across the world and seed-borne plant pathogenic fungi and highlights knowledge gaps that need to be filled to mitigate the risk of spreading tree pathogens via seeds."
Links checked: 14th August 2024.