FUTURE PLANS

Between January and March 2004 the Forestry Commission completed a survey of 1348 woods in admixture with rhododendron to ascertain if Phytophthora. ramorum was present in our woodlands, and if so, how widely. The results of this survey indicated that P. ramorum was absent from all of the woods surveyed in England, Wales and Scotland. A second survey the same year of 109 sites in England and Wales also proved negative for P ramorum.  To view surveys. 

Intensive surveying of Cornwall has revealed a number of woodland sites where P. kernoviae has established on wild rhododendron. Removal of the infected plants will be required to control the disease. To establish which sites need to be tackled most urgently, a risk matrix has been prepared. This takes into consideration such factors as the percentage cover of rhododendron in the woods and their level of infection, the level of public access, and the value of the woodland. Clearance work based on the risk matrix and jointly funded by Defra and the Forestry Commission, started in August 2005.

While scientists at Forest Research continues with their investigations, further survey work will also be ongoing in 2006 with the National Survey assessing a further 20% of the 2004 sites. In addition further survey work in previously unsurveyed woods will take place in Cornwall, and possibly Devon,

Clearance of rhododendron within the PkMZ will continue for the foreseable future.  Further funds will be provided by the FC and Defra in 2006/07 to continue the clearance in woods based on the risk matrix.  The former working name for P. kernoviae, also previously referred to as 'Phytophthora Taxon C'. 

However, in 2003 a new and previously unknown pathogen, now formally named as P. kernoviae, was discovered in Cornwall. This subsequently led to the designation, by Statutory Instrument, of the Phytophthora kernoviiš Management Zone (PkMZ) in December 2004. Subsequent outbreaks were found in a nursery in Cheshire, which has been eradicated, and in South Wales where, to date, five locations have been found to have P. kernoviae. Through Notice served by Defra’s Plant Health & Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) one of the outbreaks, a single infected bush in a private garden, has been eradicated. In the other four locations the outbreak appears to have been contained through removal and destruction of infected material.

The Phytophthora Programme Board (FC, Defra and SEERAD) recommended that, starting in 2005, the Commission should re-survey all sites surveyed in 2004 in England and Wales. The re-survey would take place over a five-year period so that 20% of sites were surveyed annually. In addition the Commission undertook further survey work of previously unchecked woods in Cornwall to complement the work being carried out by. (PHSI) in the county. Both these surveys were completed in September with no positives. To view 1st Resurvey and Cornwall Survey

In South Wales there have been five locations where P.kernoviae has been found and the infected rhododendron material has been removed under Notice. In one of these locations, Clyne Country Park in Swansea, a further 40 ha. of rhododendron is to be cleared from the native broadleaved woodland by the owners Swansea City Council. This work is being partly funded by the Forestry Commission, through the Woodland Improvement Grant Scheme, which aims to remove non-native invasive weed growth from our broadleaved woodland. The woods are extensively used for recreation by both locals and visitors and are of great amenity value. Forestry Commission Wales are to provide 75% grant aid towards the clearance with Swansea City Council. financing the remaining 25%. (Last updated January 2006)