The Forestry Commission is having to deal with yet another serious tree disease after confirming the first case of its type of Phytophthora austrocedrae in Europe.
The disease, which infects the root system causing foliage to decline and eventually die, has been confirmed in rare juniper trees in the north Pennines.
Scientists from the commission’s Forest Research Agency are undertaking further studies to see how damaging it might be on juniper, Lawson cypress and other potential tree hosts.
“This is a significant finding, the first of its type in Europe, and we are working closely with our partners to tackle the situation in Upper Teesdale,” said Martin Ward, head of policy at the Food & Environment Research Agency.
The disease was first found in the UK last year (in Scotland) on other trees from the cypress family.
The commission is currently fighting the disease Phytophthora ramorum, also known as “sudden oak death”, which has cut a swathe through Japanese larch trees across the UK.
