Plants Importation and and lack of forthought about Disease

[NI Tree]

As we all hopefully know we are facing increasing problems with disease in the forestry and arboriculture sectors. With the advent of

 

Pytophora Rramorum

Pytophora kernoviae

bleading canker

elm beetle

just to name a few few

 

As liveing on a farm I know the restrictions that are placed on a farmer regards the movement of livestock (at the minute we can not bring animals from Britain to Northern Ireland due to blue tongue) (you can not buying meat from Argentina in UK because they have foot and mouth)

 

It worries me the fact that a lot of nurseries readily bring plants in to UK without any checks From Europe and further afield. As a lot of the diseases affecting trees nowadays having brought in to the UK this way. A lot of the outbreaks starting nurseries. Why are plant imports not as strict.

 

Some of these diseases will have larger long-term effects on the UK environment. And as we are islands is a lot harder for them to move naturally. It would be a lot easier this way, Is a lot harder to eradicate the disease once it is in the UK.

 

Austraila are a lot strictue on this issiue.

[NI Tree]

why can it not be the same here as i could save a lot of greaf

[Hogs Breath]

Plants are checked on nurseries once a year by a some governing body but not sure which one, fireblight is one of their main concerns.

Poor growing conditions can lead to a lot phytophora but is easily controlled in a nursery enviroment with chemicals should the need arise but best practise can usually avoid this.

[NI Tree]

I knew they would check every year. I now a lot of plants entering Northern Ireland that would not have been checked by customs etc: over them the Irish border. I am glad is easy to control the nursery. As there was an outbreak of phytophtora ramorum in a nursery near us in the rodies three years ago. And it was confirmed in Japanese larch about my half a mile away last year.

[Moosewood]

I think part of the problem (mainland UK) is that DEFRA take care of some stuff and the FC takes care of others. SO if the outbreak is a pest affecting forest trees the FC will stump up the money where as if its in a plant nursery its likely DEFRA. If the problem is with a tree in a city then they will argue over who is responsible for enforcement and thus who should pay for it and the pest will get further out of control (a-la-OPM in London).

 

Beurocracy...

[Paul Antrobus]

I think part of the problem (mainland UK) is that DEFRA take care of some stuff and the FC takes care of others. SO if the outbreak is a pest affecting forest trees the FC will stump up the money where as if its in a plant nursery its likely DEFRA. If the problem is with a tree in a city then they will argue over who is responsible for enforcement and thus who should pay for it and the pest will get further out of control (a-la-OPM in London).

 

Beurocracy...

 

God help us if DEFRA are involved they only act when the s**t has already hit the fan.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

Oz and NZ are strict on these issues. Here plants arrive from Holland all the time.

 

Vehicles also bring in soil on chassis and tyres.