SOD situation in Britain

Britain's Forestry Commission is continuing to try to minimize the spread of P. ramorum by felling tens of thousands of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), first found to be a sporulating host in southwest England in fall 2009. Since then, thousands of trees have died. Follow-up aerial surveys in southwest England and Wales, and up into western Scotland, have identified 203 suspicious sites in a mix of privately owned and Forestry Commission public woodlands in England and Wales. Of these, 42 sites in southwest England and eight in Wales have confirmed infestations. More than 30 hectares of trees were felled last winter, with an additional 250 hectares planned for removal this summer and fall. Felling is continuing in the southwest England counties of Devon and Cornwall, including Plym Woods, a popular forest for public recreation near the city of Plymouth, and is getting under way in Wales. The Forestry Commission hopes that by taking decisive action in southwest England and south Wales it can prevent the pathogen from spreading further into Britain.

Affected forests are remaining open to visitors, except for areas where felling is taking place, due to safety reasons. Visitors are being asked to stay on stone paths, keep dogs on short leads, and clean shoes and bikes before leaving infested areas. Private landowners are also being asked to regularly inspect woodlands where larch is present and to report any suspected P. ramorum outbreaks to the Forestry Commission. For more information, go to http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pramorum.

From the August COMTF newsletter