Professional AdviceYou are here : In Your Area » Midlands » Regional News » Woodlands and Forestry » Woodlands and Forestry
Lethal diseases poised to devastate trees Four lethal diseases are poised to devastate British trees and could dramatically change the landscape for ever. Oaks, pines, horse chestnuts, larches, sweet chestnuts and Douglas fir are all at risk as researchers desperately seek to find control measures.
"In 35 years of working with timber I cannot remember a time when our trees were under so great a threat," says Mike Seville, CLA forestry and woodland adviser. "At least with Dutch elm disease only one species was affected, but now we have acute oak decline in oaks, red band needle blight on Corsican pine and Scots pine and leaf miner on horse chestnuts. Coming from the South West is phytophthora ramorum, the rather confusingly named 'sudden oak death' which is killing larch and affecting Douglas fir and sweet chestnut. "What is really worrying is the rapid spread of disease. The red band needle blight, in particular, is running in a swathe through Suffolk and Norfolk and up into the Midlands. "Research has been underfunded for years so that now when we are facing this potential disaster, we simply do not have the vital knowledge we need to enable us to tackle such a variety of pests and diseases. Even if we had the chemicals, which we don't, treating a tree – let alone a forest – is out of the question. "It is not overstating the case to say that in a very short time we could lose some of our much loved woodlands and commercial forests. With them will go the beauty of our landscapes, a vast range of wildlife habitats, a timber resource and vital carbon sequestration at a time of climate change. "Oak is not only the iconic tree of England, it is a dominating feature of the English landscape and underpins the ecology of most of our native woodlands. The very thought of its wholesale loss is almost too awful to contemplate." The CLA is urging the government to increase the funding for research into these diseases and pests. We recognise that that all budgets are under pressure and that we have to be realistic," says Mike, "but failure to address the threats posed by these diseases could be catastrophic." CLA West Midlands regional advisor Donna Tavernor said: "So far there have been no reported cases in the region but we are asking CLA members to remain vigilant and report any suspected presence of the disease on trees or in woodlands to the Forestry Commission immediately." The rural watchdog is also advising owners, contractors and workers to maintain strict hygiene when working with trees and to report any suspicious outbreak to the Forestry Commission. |
Contact Mike Seville
Have a problem - need advice? Midlands Office Knightley
Join the CLA today
The CLA Game Fair 2012
CLA Events in your area
To receive our regular email newsletter containing advice and the latest news affecting the region - contact the office or send your email address and membership number to info.midlands@cla.org.uk |
RSS Feeds
Advises on aspects of forestry and woodland management including grants, regulation, marketing and utilisation, timber transport, non-timber forest products, wood fuel, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, plant health, deer and squirrels.
- Policy Topics
- Policy Topics
- Site sections
- Specially for members
© 2012 Country Land and Business Association Limited (CLA). All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as expressly permitted by law.
Disclaimer
No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action in reliance on or as a result of the material included in or omitted in this website can be or is accepted by the author(s), the CLA or its officers or trustees or employees or any other persons.
The Advisory Services are made available to members on the basis that members' rights to compensation and the liability (if any) of CLA and its officers and/or its staff advisers, are restricted in the following ways. In the event of any advice given by any CLA staff adviser being given negligently or otherwise being incorrect no liability whatsoever is accepted by the CLA or its officers or by its staff advisers concerned
(a) towards any person who is not the current CLA member to whom the advice was directly given,
(b) to any person in the respect of consequential loss or loss of profits, or
(c) to any person for any sum exceeding £50,000 in respect of any one enquiry (whether made or responded to orally or in writing and whether dealt with at one time or over a period of time).
Any person making use of the Advisory Services accepts such restrictions. Members should refer to appropriate professional advisers in private practice before taking any particular course of action potentially or actually involving any substantial amounts of money.
Please note that whilst the advisers are able to advise on a wide range of subjects relating to land ownership, they cannot act in place of a member's own solicitor, accountant, surveyor and tax specialist by, for example, drafting documents or corresponding on their behalf and may be precluded, by the rules of their own professions, from advising one CLA member against another CLA member in the case of conflict.
Solicitors Indemnity Fund . Solicitors in the CLA Legal Team are not covered by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund in relation to professional negligence in relation to any advice given by them.
Please note that from time to time telephone calls maybe recorded for training purposes.