There is a major programme of work at present surveying for Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) nests until early March working in conjunction with Cambridge University. The results of survey work is to see if there is a statistical link between males pheromone trap captures and a breeding population. The results of this study should be available from late April.

There is further work on evidence gathering around OPM - all at pilot/design implantation phase.

-  Controlling OPM and the effects on wider biodiversity
-  Oak defoliation and OPM
-  Landowner's perceptions around OPM to inform what support should be offered in future  

Plans for the 2018 control programme are being finalised along with the communications package. Further information can be found on the Forestry Commission website.

On the ‘Out of the Woodwork’ blog, Mick Biddle, Tree Health Officer for the South West of England, provides an overview of the current status of Sweet Chestnut Blight and what work the Forestry Commission and others are undertaking to meet the challenges of the disease.

This year’s aerial survey will begin in April and run through to September.

During 2017 our survey teams continued to identify a small but growing number of sites where sweet chestnut was showing signs of infection, and we would encourage owners and managers to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of sweet chestnut infection using the online and downloadable guide.

A reminder that you can access a range of resources on Xylella fastidiosa via the plant health portal

Further guidance is also available from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) is an excellent resource for photographs of symptoms on a variety of plants including ornamentals. 

Forestry Commission has expanded its suite of on-line e-learning modules on plant health and biosecurity topics by adding one on the import and export requirements for wood packaging materials (WPM).

The module:

• Explains European Union and United Kingdom phytosanitary (plant health) requirements for importing wood packing material such as crates, pallets, boxes, drums and other items
• Defines the various forms of WPM and dunnage (blocks of wood used to stabilise cargo)
• Explains WPM marking for ISPM-15 compliance
• Explains the WPM inspection process
• Presents some of the tree health issues which non-compliant WPM can cause

The module is particularly aimed at helping plant health inspectors who operate at the border to gain a deeper understanding of their role in protecting the UK from harmful plant pests and diseases. However, it would also be valuable to anyone who would like to gain a greater insight into the UK’s border protections and how they are implemented.

It can be accessed via the ‘Free training modules’ link

One hundred and forty delegates recently attended the South East and London Tree Health Event which took place on Monday 12 February at RHS Wisley Gardens. Delegates met to hear the latest tree health news affecting the South East and London and to discuss how to take a more holistic and active approach to those threats.

The event was part of ongoing engagement from the Forestry Commission who hold annual tree health events across the country.

South East England is at the forefront of tree heath challenges, with high levels of trade and consumption. In addition, 16 million people live and work in the area which has the highest tree and woodland cover in England across a proliferation of protected landscapes.

A number of speakers provided updates on a range of subjects, with concluding remarks from John Deakin, Chief Forester for the Crown Estate. Further outdoor sessions in the afternoon focused on approaches to Oak Processionary Moth, and the Forestry Commission’s Keep it Clean campaign.

More information on the event including presentation slides

Dr Katherine Deeks, from Forestry Commission England provides an update on the progress of the Keep it Clean campaign.

Since its launch in February 2016, the Keep it Clean campaign has worked hard to increase the awareness of tree health issues and promote the uptake of good biosecurity practices amongst tree professionals. 

Tree pests and diseases have the potential to change and shape our landscapes; how they look, the habitats they provide for wildlife, as well as how we interact with our trees and look after them for generations to come.  This is an issue that is unlikely to go away any time soon due to globalisation and climate change which have already resulted in an increase of tree pests and diseases being discovered outside of their native habitats.

To reduce the risk from these harmful tree pests and diseases, Forestry Commission England has worked with a number of partners (the Arboriculture Association, ICF, Confor, APHA to name but a few) to develop and deliver simple and practical biosecurity advice for professionals



The FC England tree health team, including two dedicated biosecurity officers, have been kept busy since the campaign launch speaking to tree professionals at industry events and delivering presentations and workshops at conferences and colleges to raise the profile of biosecurity and tree health.  Hopefully you will have seen us at one of these events, but if not, fear not!  2018 is already looking like it will be a busy year packed with exciting events so there will be plenty of opportunity to pick up a free Keep it Clean boot pick to help keep your boots clean and reduce the potential spread of tree diseases.

Most recently we have been busy organising and delivering regional tree health events and coming up in the diary are more student workshops (see the article written by Becki Gawthorpe on how they’ve gone so far and the value in speaking to the next generation of foresters, arborists and countryside managers), the South West regional tree health event, the Arboriculture Association Arb show at Westonbirt and the ICF’s annual conference in Edinburgh. 

Alongside our public appearances, it has been encouraging to see organisations adopting the Keep it Clean branding and guidance in order to develop their own polices and statements to show their commitment to protecting tree health. 

Ironically, biosecurity can sometimes be seen as a dirty word - a hindrance and a time consuming activity.  This is why if you heard one of our biosecurity officers speak at an event in 2017, you may well remember that they were focussing on 7 simple steps to becoming biosecure to highlight that biosecurity isn’t just limited to the cleaning of boots and can be incorporated into everyday management and business practices.  Sun Tzu himself knew and understood the importance of proactive biosecurity measures and you can read his take on the 7 pillars of biosecurity on our tree health blog. 

A real step change in how the industry talks and thinks about biosecurity is beginning to show since the launch of Keep it Clean and it’s important that we keep this momentum going. 

So what does 2018 have in store for Keep it Clean?  Well, aside from a busy programme of events, talks and workshops, we are looking to refresh some our existing guidance, to build on our network of stakeholders who support the campaign, and extend the campaign messages and resources further (so expect to see more of the 7 steps to biosecurity in the upcoming year!). If you would like more information on Keep it Clean and how you can get involved, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Becki Gawthorpe, Biosecurity Officer; becki.gawthorpe@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

And one final plea….as Spring approaches and you brush off your wellies, pump up the bike tyres and head out into our beautiful countryside, remember our biosecurity advice for visitors.  As those who work with trees, it’s important that we lead by example not just in our professional capacity but also when we’re out and about on our bikes, walking the dog and spending time with friends and family in the great outdoors.

 

To end this short piece on a reflective note, the call to action, ‘Think Future’ can be added to Keep it Clean’s existing mantra; Think Kit, Think Transport, Think Trees.  With globalisation increasing and climate change already happening, it is imperative that we start to think about the future health of our trees now and their resilience to pests and diseases.  To stay up to date with latest news on tree pests and diseases and our work, you can follow the team on Twitter, @treehealthnews and @mickbiddleFC and @BeckiGawthorpe

Becki Gawthorpe, Biosecurity Officer at Forestry Commission England highlights the delivery of a series of workshops engaging with university and college students.

Forestry Commission England’s two dedicated Biosecurity Officers have been travelling the length and breadth of the country delivering Tree Health and Biosecurity Workshops at colleges and universities who provide courses in arboriculture, forestry and countryside management, in a bid to raise the profile of biosecurity and tree health. The workshops were delivered with support from the Tree Health Officers of the Forestry Commission England Tree Health Team.

So far, workshops have been delivered at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, Bridgwater & Taunton College in Somerset, Sparsholt College in Hampshire, Plumpton College in East Sussex, the University of Cumbria and Newton Rigg College in Cumbria,Shuttleworth College in Bedfordshire, and Myerscough College in Preston. The next few months are already looking busy with two workshops booked in at Merrist Wood College in Surrey and we also have a session planned for students studying with The Training Tree. 



The workshops are for students to learn more about tree pests and diseases; the steps they can take to help protect the health of our trees; and what to do if they suspect ill health in trees. The workshops can be adapted so that they are suitable for Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) students from Level 1 through to Level 7.  

So what does a workshop involve? Here is an example, of the type of things students can expect.

To kick things off the students take part in an opening activity of identifying tree pest and diseases through photographs, this allows interaction with and between students and discussions around their existing knowledge and experience with tree pests and diseases.

The photograph activity is followed by a presentation on the key pest and diseases, looking at the key signs and symptoms shown in the photographs, their lifecycles and significance to tree health, what the FC are doing and current management recommendations.

Following the tree health update an introductory presentation on biosecurity provides information on some of the current major challenges (such as climate change and globalisation), a look at those pests and diseases on the horizon, the biosecurity measures already in place at our borders and inland, and how to report suspect signs of ill health in trees through the online Tree Alert form . We take a look at our own working practices and the measures we can take to help minimise the amount of potentially infected material we move around, to help reduce the risk of introducing pests and diseases into the sites we work and places we visit.



The workshop finishes with the ‘New Air Arboretum and Forest’ group activity which allows the students to put into practice what they have learnt from the workshop and to produce their own biosecurity management plan.

The FC’s Keep it Clean biosecurity campaign’s mantra; Think Kit; Think Trees; Think Transport (see the article written by Katherine Deeks providing an update on the FC’s Keep it Clean Campaign) features heavily throughout the workshop and the students get to take home some KiC goodies, including a KiC boot pick and KiC industry z-card, which provides biosecurity advice for arborists, foresters and landscapers.

Meeting and speaking to the next generation of arborists, foresters and countryside managers is an important part of the Tree Health Team’s role. It provides an opportunity to introduce the team and inform students of our roles and responsibilities, and how the students themselves can help in the fight against tree pests and diseases.  It’s also a great opportunity to offer advice on future careers in plant and tree health.

If you’re a college lecturer/tutor and would like the Tree Health Team to deliver a workshop at your college or university, please do not hesitate to get in touch – becki.gawthorpe@forestry.gsi.gov.uk. Most of the materials used in the workshops can be made available for use in your own presentations and classes.

To stay up to date with latest news on tree pests and diseases and our work, you can follow the team on twitter @treehealthnews and @mickbiddleFC and we hope to see you at your college or university soon.