An outbreak of Phytophthora ramorum infection has been discovered in private woodland in Wales for the first time.
Staff from Forestry Commission Wales and the Food & Environment Research Agency have visited the owner of the Denbighshire woodland and a notice has been served to fell the infected Japanese larch trees. Only a small number of trees are infected, and the owner will use the timber on site.
Phytophthora ramorum, or sudden oak death, is a fungus-like pathogen that kills many of the trees it infects. It was first found on Japanese larch trees in public woodland in Wales. The outbreaks were in the Afan Valley, near Port Talbot; the Garw Valley, near Bridgend; and the Vale of Glamorgan.
The outbreak in South Wales was the first time the disease had been found on larch elsewhere in Great Britain since it was discovered on larch in south-west England in 2009.
Forestry Commission Wales head of grants and regulations Richard Siddons said the support of woodland owners in looking out for early signs of P. ramorum infection would play a key part in minimising the impacts of the disease.
In July, the Forestry Commission announced a £600,000 support package for woodland owners in south-west England and Wales to help tackle the outbreak on larch trees. The package is part of Defra’s £25m, five-year Phytophthora management programme.
Forestry Commission Wales is developing a complementary programme of support for private woodland owners who have the fungus confirmed on their land. Details will be announced next month.
