AN EMBARGO on issuing licences to fell larch has been introduced by Forestry Commission Wales as part of the fight against the spread of ramorum disease.
During the winter, once the larch have dropped their needles, it is impossible to identify symptoms of the disease and confirm if the trees are infected.
This embargo will remain in place until May 31, the FCW said yesterday.
Once the trees have flushed with new needles next spring, any infected larch can be identified before felling so that biosecurity measures can be taken to avoid spreading the disease.
This is the second year running that a winter embargo on felling larch has been put in place.
Richard Siddons, Head of Grants and Regulations at Forestry Commission Wales, said: “Having considered several options, we decided to reintroduce the temporary embargo on issuing felling licences, where larch species are a component, during the winter.
“This approach will enable us to establish whether the standing timber is infected, and avoid the risk of the unintentional spread of this serious tree disease.
“Last year, woodland owners and managers responded well to the first embargo and we only received a handful of applications involving larch during that time.
“I would like to thank them for their co-operation and assure them that we will process their application as quickly as possible once we can visit the site and establish whether the standing timber is infected with ramorum disease,” Mr Siddons added.
Normal administration of felling licences involving larch will depend on the timing of needle flush next spring, but is expected to be no later than 1 June 2012.
If standing timber shows symptoms of infection, a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) will be issued for the trees to be felled within a specified timescale. Any harvested produce may then only be transported to premises licensed to receive infected material.
Forestry Commission England has also introduced a winter embargo on processing applications to fell larch as part of the Forestry Commission’s cross-country policy for the management of ramorum disease.
Ramorum disease of larch is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum), which can infect more than 150 species of plants and trees.
P. ramorum was first identified in the United Kingdom in a viburnum plant in a garden centre in West Sussex in 2002. It has since been found infecting a wide range of plants and trees.
farming