Biosecurity in Tree Work - We want your views!

[Biosecurity4Trees]

Hello all Arb Talkers!

 

With the increased numbers of new pest and diseases affecting our trees (both urban and woodlands) there is on going need for biosecurity practice to become adopted as standard practice throughout the Forestry and Arboricultural industries. In order to make this practical and proportionate we need to hear from all those that work in these industries; whether you are the Managing director of a large firm or a groundy working for a small team we want to hear what your thoughts are:

 

The Forestry Commission have put together a short email survey - to find out what you think about biosecurity currently, how aware you are of the current guidance, and how you feel it does, or should, impact on your daily work.

 

Do you have ten minutes to spare to complete the survey? It will help steer us on how best to communicate around the issue of biosecurity, and let us know what you need to follow biosecurity guidance more fully in the future.

It’s an online survey, and can be completed anonymously here:

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FCbiosecurity

[daltontrees]

done, good luck with that. I expect a few folk on here won't even look at it because it has 'biosecurity' in the title.

[David Humphries]

Have completed also.

 

I think the FC coming on here offering up this interaction is a good start in getting the message out further across the industry.

 

 

 

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[Shane]

Done - agree this is a sensible starting place.

All good stuff.

[timbernut]

Done, will be interested to see if it makes a difference. After having done several weeks PR infected larch felling last year and following rigorous bio security measures we found it really frustrating seeing infected dead and dying larch on other holdings in the vicinity (the blocks we felled were in the very early stages of infection) that were having nothing done about them and the estate we were working on were hounded by the FC Scotland to get theirs down. It made our efforts seem a bit pointless!😤

[Bren.]

Done.

[ukminch]

I apologise in advance if I'm wrong but I haven't seen anything from the forestry commission about this, might just be the skeptic in me, have you got a link to the forestry commission website that will link to this?

 

R

[JLA Arborists]

It's an important topic. People need to think about.

On a local scale taking arisings away can spread biohazard as you drive from site to yard.

National shows etc bring people from far and wide. Just a quick look round the APF carpark and you could see loads of trucks, how many were properly cleaned? Maybe before but what about going back home? Taking all that lovely mud back

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Done.

 

I know it's difficult to construct a decent, balanced survey but some of the questions in that one seemed predisposed to the assumption that nobody is interested.

 

Just my view but it's no good trying to change behaviour at the operational end when there appears to be such carelessness at the strategic end.

 

The definition of bio-security additional comments box I entered:

 

"I would describe this definition as 'operational' guidelines rather than strategic. There is a lack of reference to national / international POLICY which should precede physical precautions. A recent and topical example of this shortfall might be the failure to impose a timely importation ban (EU free trade regulations) on Ash which has undoubtedly and markedly increased the rate and severity of spread for Chalara Fraxinea."

[agrimog]

done, time for a more concerted push on biosecurity before there are no wooded spaces left for folk to enjoy and have some lesuire time in