Phytophthora ramorum

[Charlieh]

FERA have just launched some videos for professionals about Phytophthora ramorum

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDN7eQann2k]Phytophthora - Stop the spread - YouTube[/ame]

 

This is a bigger issue than I think it has been give credit for across a lot of the UK, there is the known sites where compulsory felling has taken place, but I wasnt aware of how common its was in sites with rhodie in it. It turns out there are known cases within a few of my woodlands and others that I manage. As a result I have FERA/FC coming out to test the rhodie in my woodland but as I am within the distance of a comnfirmed case that means I should be removing the rhodie anyway, fingers crossed the larch crop its under is ok.

 

I would ask anyone up the west coast or in west midlands/north west to be aware of the diesase and familiarise yourself with its symptoms

Forestry Commission - Pests and Diseases - phytophthora ramorum

 

There is lots of advice and info out there and even if you have a small suspicion you should contact your local FC woodland office or FERA to seek further advice.

 

The resources being deployed to this by FC currently are staggering with all the at risk areas being flown by helicopter with FC/FERA staff on board to idetify blocks of larch and noting any dieback for a follow up visit.

 

Also finally comes biosecurity, this is a key part of the battle against this, as from now on our kit including things like tractors and mini forwarders will be steam cleaned and disinfected between sites including using alchol disinfectant on kit like boots and saws if you have potentially been on a site that could be a disease reservoir. I know this isnt always practical but I think we should be making an effort to try and prevent the spead of the diseases such as this. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/phytophthoraprotocol30apr2010.pdf/$FILE/phytophthoraprotocol30apr2010.pdf

Edited May 25, 2012 by Charlieh

[toprotter]

Thanks for posting.Being motile it seems there is a big challenge ahead especially how quickly it had spread from 2009.

I am based in the SE and lots of the places I work have a lot of the host species and ornamental rhodies etc Im sure its only a matter of time it becomes wide spread this way.

I guess ur on the money ,cleaning of equipment between sites will be the way forward for us to do our bit maybe even become part of method statements for all contracts

[NI Tree]

Charlieh well done for posting, this is type of video is so inportant as the risk from these desices/pests exctra to this county be it;

Phytophthora ramorum,

Asain longhorn beatle ,

just to name a few:thumbdown:, the damage they are doing / could do to this country is huge. and some would go as far to say that the P. ramorum is worse than Foot and Mouth as you can buy cows sheep exctra in easly but not trees and it takes years to be able harvest a crop, think how much the foot and mouth gets press coverage, and how it help the public under stand the problems and the risks it prosses to farmers, we have to the same and educatue the public with out this high profile help, be it dessices, non native (Allen) spiceses all ready here , a prime example is Austraila where they are very stricked on imports, and the public dont mind killing a kane toad as they know they helping, we need to do the same here, so be Proactive not Reactive as it will benifit not just you.

 

 

 

It turns out there are known cases within a few of my woodlands and others that I manage. As a result I have FERA/FC coming out to test the rhodie in my woodland but as I am within the distance of a comnfirmed case that means I should be removing the rhodie anyway, fingers crossed the larch crop its under is ok.

 

sorry to here this i hope it ok i know i been removing all our rodies for this reasion (Granny is not happy as i am condering to do the garden too ) and the Forest Service had the FC fly over our place last year,

what would bug me is that they did you not tell you,

 

SO BE PROCATIVE

 

 

Ps steve can you please make this thread sticky

[Charlieh]

what was interesting at a talk i attended on wednesday was the asian longhorn beetle was imported in packing crates, in a yard owned by a firm who closed down two years ago, something like 40 trees had been felled in the local area as a precaution and of these 24 had asian longhorn larvae in them! bearing in mind they have a 2year lavael stage, it raises the question about how long they had been there and if they could have been imported elsewhere.

 

The chestnut blight that has recently been reported were both on chestnuts bought from the same nursery as specific nut producing varieties, which had been imported from over seas!

 

we have these things coming in on a daily basis and FC/FERA are really asking for people in our profession to learn the basic identification features of these pests and diseases.

 

 

Im not to worried about my woodland, as the rhodie was marked for removal anyway, and the younger larch plantation next door was cleared last summer so that should have reduced the risk to some extent.

[evergreen]

Good post Charliegh. I have just watched the video. I think it is a wise precaution for all of us who visit woodlands to sanitise our footwear afterwards. and on that note I wonder who knows of a product for sale that kills phytopthora?

Nick

[Charlieh]

The recommended disinfectant is Propellar for footware/tools etc (its basically industrial meths), the suppliers are:

 

Evans Chemical Supplies,

18B Barncoose Industrial Estate

Redruth

Cornwall

TR15 3RX.

Tel. 01209 213643

 

This is one of the two that im aware of that FC/FERA deam of being capable of killing the spores

[evergreen]

Thanks Charlieh, I will get onto them, I bet they are busy! Nick

[Charlieh]

Just a quick bump on this thread as P ramorum is spreading fairly rapidly this summer due to the humid/damp conditions. I have been involved in sites in Mid Wales, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire all in rhodies.

 

I would strongly suggest that people dont underestimate the mobility of this, My protocol now for going on to sites with potential for the disease is that vehicles stay well out the woodland. Spraysuits are worn for site visits and then burnt on exiting the woodland, boots and other equipment is washed off in a bucket and then disinfected and the water tipped onto an area of grass (not likily to run into a watercourse).

 

The sites where i have been involved in there has been a distinct lack of precautions being taken, with shoots, footpaths, public access, dogs not being in any way restricted from contacting infected material. There seems to be such a lack of PR regarding this wider than the forestry community involved in it, that the prevention of spread is not being controlled as well as it could be at this time. I am aware of even some so called forestry contractors going out to these sites to quote for work and not taking any precautions at all!

 

I think FC/FERA may need to consider upgrading the restrictions on sites where this is present as at the moment I dont feel that the efforts are sufficent to stop movement of it.

[patrickosborne]

Just a quick one ,we partly opened up this lovely beech yesterday and found an ominous dark staining with small sticky smelly scabs.....no fungal brackets etc...my first reaction is Phytopthora what do you think guys and apart from mulching would you touch the tree which is looking good at the moment?

 

In my opinion any crown reduction no matter how small will needlessly put extra stress on the tree.

[patrickosborne]

Just a quick one ,we partly opened up this lovely beech yesterday and found an ominous dark staining with small sticky smelly scabs.....no fungal brackets etc...my first reaction is Phytopthora what do you think guys and apart from mulching would you touch the tree which is looking good at the moment?

 

In my opinion any crown reduction no matter how small will needlessly put extra stress on the tree.