Ash Dieback Surveillance

1. Ash Dieback Surveillance • Paul Gardiner • Forest Service

2. Overall Survey • 800 Sites Surveyed • 222 From Initial Survey • 578 From Current Surveillance Work • 418 Forest Service Sites • 81 Urban/Amenity Planting • 45 Roadside Planting • 16 Public Plantations • 10 Private Gardens • 7 Hedgerow/Farm Planting • 1 Nursery

3. Current Surveillance Work • 578 Sites Surveyed • 127 Sampled • 95 Forest Service Sites • 14 Roadside Trees • 13 Urban/Amenity Sites • 4 Private Gardens • 1 Nursery

4. Survey Work • Survey carried out by trained inspector using handheld GPS device • GPS device captures: • Site location • Survey data • Site type (forest, amenity etc.) • Sign or symptoms of disease • Whether a site was sampled • Sample location (if necessary)

9. Ash DiebackChalara fraxinea John Finlay Plant Health & Horticulture Inspectorate DARD Agri-food Inspection Branch

10. Ash Dieback in Northern Ireland • First outbreaks confirmed in NI in Mid-November 2012 on recently planted ash (11/12) at five sites. • General surveillance continuing and trace forward work • Recently planted woodland – 22 outbreak sites (14 from trace forward) • Amenity/Roadside Plantings – 2 sites • Nursery/trade findings -2

11. Action on Confirmation of Infection • Statutory Plant Health Notice Issued • Two main purposes: • Containment of disease on site • Eradication of disease on site • No movement of plant material/soil off infected site • Requirement to destroy infected ash • Biosecurity requirements to be implemented • No replanting with ash at site

12. Action on confirmation of infection (continued) • Removal of plants including roots, and leaves • Disposal by deep burial / incineration • Forest Service has provided assistance to landowners in the removal /disposal process. • Ongoing monitoring of surrounding area (buffer surveys) • Trace back / forward – further inspections/surveillance

13. Ash Dieback Legislation – Plants • The Plant Health (Amendment No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 • came into force 26 October 2012 • Ash imported/moved must come from a pest free area (currently none established) • Effective ban on imports/movement of ash plants (&seeds) for planting • Intra-EU trade in ash will require plant passports

14. Ash Dieback – DARD Actions • Implementation of Legislation • Surveillance for pathogen in production/trade/plantings • Outbreak containment/eradication • Required for any case to establish a Pest Free Area • Registration/inspection of businesses to allow plant passporting of ash • Inspections of passported material

15. Plant Passport • Plant material which hosts the most serious (“quarantine”) pests and diseases requires a plant passport to facilitate its movement within the EU. • Certification by grower/trader that plants are free from quarantine pests/diseases • Consists of a label or label/delivery note, invoice with certain information: • The phrase “EC Plant Passport” • Country code eg, UK/NI, NL • Business registration number • Serial, week or batch number • Botanical name of plants • Quantity of plants • ZP code if needed (protected zone)

16. Ash Imports and Forestry Grant Schemes • Ben Searle • Forest Service

17. Imports of ash wood and bark • After consulting stakeholders we found that there are regular imports of ash logs for manufacturing purposes, mainly hurley sticks, and for fire wood • As a potential pathway for the disease, it is an unacceptable risk • The Plant Health (Wood & Bark) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 was made

18. Landing Conditions • The wood shall ; (a) be accompanied by an official statement that it originates in an area or areas known to be free from Chalara fraxinea or • (b) be squared so as to remove entirely the rounded surface; or • (c) be bark-free and the water content is less than 20% expressed as a percentage of the dry matter; or • (d) if sawn, with or without residual bark attached, have undergone kiln-drying, to below 20% moisture content, expressed as a percentage of dry matter, achieved through an appropriate time / temperature schedule, and there shall be evidence of that kiln-drying by a mark “Kiln dried” or “KD” or another internationally recognised mark, put on the wood or on any wrapping in accordance with current usage”

19. Forestry Grant Scheme • Temporary suspension of grant aid for new ash planting from 6 December 2012 • Other species can be substituted. This needs to be done in agreement with Forest Service. • New planting agreements have been prepared without an ash component • Forest Service is currently preparing advice on what additional support may be made available to assist landowners to replant trees following compliance with a statutory plant health notice

20. Ash DiebackReporting and Awareness Sharon Cabecinha Plant Health and Horticulture Inspectorate Agri-food Inspection Branch

21. Where to get information? • www.dardni.gov.uk/ash-dieback

22. www.dardni.gov.uk/ash-diebackLinks on this page to: • Legislation • Biosecurity guidance (for advice on working in forests/woods). • Questions and Answers

23. Information Page on Ash Dieback (Forestry Commission Website) Confirmed findings 17th January 2013

24. Reporting Symptoms...

25. How you can help us • Report suspicious sightings • Email: afib.planthealth@dardni.gov.uk • Phone: Sharon Cabecinha 028 90 524990 • DARD Helpline 0300 200 7847

26. Increasing awareness ... Mountain Bike Poster Tree Health Biosecurity Poster

27. Questions