The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) designated 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. The FAO’s objective is to “raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment and boost economic development.”
The claim that Irish forests are the healthiest in Europe still stands, but it has come under scrutiny, especially in recent years.
Ireland has heavily invested in the forestry and forest products sector and as a result, a valuable forest resource and a viable forest industry has been created.
Forest insect and diseases
Irish forests have avoided the catastrophes of major fires, wind damage and attacks by insect pests.
These include the great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans) and the eight toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus, generally referred to as Ips), which caused major destruction to forests throughout Europe in 2018.
Great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans) is not present in Ireland, but is found in Wales, parts of England and southern Scotland. \ Maja Jurc, University of Ljubljana
Yet there are worrying threats. Ireland’s trees and forests coped well for years after the introduction of Dutch elm disease, but the future of a number of species is now in doubt.
Since the introduction of Chalara ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) in 2012, ash trees in woodlands and hedgerows have been wiped out in all counties in Ireland.
In 2010, Phytophthora ramorum was identified, and this disease has continued to kill individual larch trees as well as forest trees. Both larch and ash species are no longer planted in Ireland, as grant aid has been withdrawn.
Our island status has been one of the reasons why Ireland’s forests have remained relatively free of insect and disease damage, but globalisation and climate change have increased the risk.
Forest Service inspectors have discovered insects in imported timber down through the years
Our open economy allows for widespread imports – and exports – of plant material to nurseries and other outlets.
However, the importation of wood products is also a major risk. These include logs, sawn timber, round fencing posts, packaging and ship’s dunnage (waste wood used in packaging).
Forest Service inspectors have discovered insects in imported timber down through the years, so continuous inspection at ports is essential. But inspections need to be supported by legislation to safeguard Ireland’s forests.
New regulation
In this regard, the new Plant Health Law Regulation EU 2016/2031 and Official Controls Regulation EU 2017/625, which came into effect last December, should help improve biosecurity.
Plant passports are now required for a wide range of plants and timber and while these add to administrative costs, they do reduce the risk of introducing harmful insects and pests.
The new regulation replaces Council Directive 2000/29/EC and will “modernise the plant health regime and provide more effective measures for the protection of the EU’s territory and its plants from destructive pests,” according to a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) spokesperson.
The new regulation requires that the movement of coniferous plants, wood and wood products (which are not bark free) into and within a Protected Zone should be accompanied by a Plant Passport.
A Protected Zone is an area in the EU where a pest of quarantine significance, established in other parts of the EU, is not present, despite favourable conditions for it to establish.
Ireland has been granted a special Protected Zone status with regard to 13 harmful forest pests and diseases.
Dieback in Sitka spruce as a result of damage caused by the great spruce bark beetle. \Forestry Commission
The new regulation represents a significant change from its predecessor, especially for sawmills that have been importing Sitka spruce logs from Scotland.
These will now require a Plant Passport, even for logs sourced from forests in western Scotland which have a ‘pest-free’ designation, or are known to be free of the great spruce bark beetle, unlike England and Wales.
All these insects pose a serious threat to Irish forests, none more so than Ips, which was recently discovered in Kent, England
The latest regulation is aimed at protecting forests against the introduction of a number of bark beetles that are prevalent in continental Europe.
All these insects pose a serious threat to Irish forests, none more so than Ips, which was recently discovered in Kent, England.
“While some of the requirements of the new legislation are clear, others are still subject of discussion in Brussels and are yet to be clearly set-out,” the DAFM spokesperson said.
“DAFM has been working on developing models and templates which will address the new legislative requirements,” he added.
Relevant importers and traders are being asked to complete Plant Health Registration forms, which should be emailed to forestprotection@agriculture.gov.ie for the attention of John Boyle. Further information is available on the EU website.
To mark the International Year of Plant Health, a national conference will take place in Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield, Co Meath, on Thursday, 28 May 2020.
Organised by the Society of Irish Foresters and Wood Marketing Federation, it will include presentations by Irish and international experts. Further information can be found at info@soif.ie, or call 086 2582240.
Single consent system in place
The way has been cleared for DAFM to implement a single consent system. This ensures that the Department will be the single consent authority for forest road works where the exit is onto a public road.
Minister Eoghan Murphy signed a commencement order on Friday, February 7 “entering into force Section 8 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act, 2018.”
A DAFM spokesperson said that “this was followed by Minister Michael Creed signing the Forestry (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, enabling the single consent system.”
Mark McAuley, director at Forest Industries Ireland welcomed the announcement “which will improve forest road construction and increase wood mobilisation,” he said.
The following actions are planned:
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) is notifying Planning Authorities of the commencement order. This includes letters to relevant Local Authority staff referencing DHPLG’s circular and setting out the new requirements for mandatory consultation, timeframes, forms, etc.Circulars are being issued to registered foresters advising them of the changes and that the system is open for applications. The circular will come with the regulations and the new documentary requirements to accompany an application that involves a forest entrance.A new release into IFORIS iNet – the online system for tracking forestry applications – was scheduled for last Friday to allow applications under single consent to begin. The legislation is not retrospective.
“Applications received before 7 February must be accompanied by planning permission, where appropriate,” the DAFM spokesperson said. “However, applicants are free to withdraw and resubmit.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) designated 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. The FAO’s objective is to “raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment and boost economic development.”
The claim that Irish forests are the healthiest in Europe still stands, but it has come under scrutiny, especially in recent years.
Ireland has heavily invested in the forestry and forest products sector and as a result, a valuable forest resource and a viable forest industry has been created.
Forest insect and diseases
Irish forests have avoided the catastrophes of major fires, wind damage and attacks by insect pests.
These include the great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans) and the eight toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus, generally referred to as Ips), which caused major destruction to forests throughout Europe in 2018.
Great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans) is not present in Ireland, but is found in Wales, parts of England and southern Scotland. \ Maja Jurc, University of Ljubljana
Yet there are worrying threats. Ireland’s trees and forests coped well for years after the introduction of Dutch elm disease, but the future of a number of species is now in doubt.
Since the introduction of Chalara ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) in 2012, ash trees in woodlands and hedgerows have been wiped out in all counties in Ireland.
In 2010, Phytophthora ramorum was identified, and this disease has continued to kill individual larch trees as well as forest trees. Both larch and ash species are no longer planted in Ireland, as grant aid has been withdrawn.
Our island status has been one of the reasons why Ireland’s forests have remained relatively free of insect and disease damage, but globalisation and climate change have increased the risk.
Forest Service inspectors have discovered insects in imported timber down through the years
Our open economy allows for widespread imports – and exports – of plant material to nurseries and other outlets.
However, the importation of wood products is also a major risk. These include logs, sawn timber, round fencing posts, packaging and ship’s dunnage (waste wood used in packaging).
Forest Service inspectors have discovered insects in imported timber down through the years, so continuous inspection at ports is essential. But inspections need to be supported by legislation to safeguard Ireland’s forests.
New regulation
In this regard, the new Plant Health Law Regulation EU 2016/2031 and Official Controls Regulation EU 2017/625, which came into effect last December, should help improve biosecurity.
Plant passports are now required for a wide range of plants and timber and while these add to administrative costs, they do reduce the risk of introducing harmful insects and pests.
The new regulation replaces Council Directive 2000/29/EC and will “modernise the plant health regime and provide more effective measures for the protection of the EU’s territory and its plants from destructive pests,” according to a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) spokesperson.
The new regulation requires that the movement of coniferous plants, wood and wood products (which are not bark free) into and within a Protected Zone should be accompanied by a Plant Passport.
A Protected Zone is an area in the EU where a pest of quarantine significance, established in other parts of the EU, is not present, despite favourable conditions for it to establish.
Ireland has been granted a special Protected Zone status with regard to 13 harmful forest pests and diseases.
Dieback in Sitka spruce as a result of damage caused by the great spruce bark beetle. \Forestry Commission
The new regulation represents a significant change from its predecessor, especially for sawmills that have been importing Sitka spruce logs from Scotland.
These will now require a Plant Passport, even for logs sourced from forests in western Scotland which have a ‘pest-free’ designation, or are known to be free of the great spruce bark beetle, unlike England and Wales.
All these insects pose a serious threat to Irish forests, none more so than Ips, which was recently discovered in Kent, England
The latest regulation is aimed at protecting forests against the introduction of a number of bark beetles that are prevalent in continental Europe.
All these insects pose a serious threat to Irish forests, none more so than Ips, which was recently discovered in Kent, England.
“While some of the requirements of the new legislation are clear, others are still subject of discussion in Brussels and are yet to be clearly set-out,” the DAFM spokesperson said.
“DAFM has been working on developing models and templates which will address the new legislative requirements,” he added.
Relevant importers and traders are being asked to complete Plant Health Registration forms, which should be emailed to forestprotection@agriculture.gov.ie for the attention of John Boyle. Further information is available on the EU website.
To mark the International Year of Plant Health, a national conference will take place in Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield, Co Meath, on Thursday, 28 May 2020.
Organised by the Society of Irish Foresters and Wood Marketing Federation, it will include presentations by Irish and international experts. Further information can be found at info@soif.ie, or call 086 2582240.
Single consent system in place
The way has been cleared for DAFM to implement a single consent system. This ensures that the Department will be the single consent authority for forest road works where the exit is onto a public road.
Minister Eoghan Murphy signed a commencement order on Friday, February 7 “entering into force Section 8 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act, 2018.”
A DAFM spokesperson said that “this was followed by Minister Michael Creed signing the Forestry (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, enabling the single consent system.”
Mark McAuley, director at Forest Industries Ireland welcomed the announcement “which will improve forest road construction and increase wood mobilisation,” he said.
The following actions are planned:
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) is notifying Planning Authorities of the commencement order. This includes letters to relevant Local Authority staff referencing DHPLG’s circular and setting out the new requirements for mandatory consultation, timeframes, forms, etc.Circulars are being issued to registered foresters advising them of the changes and that the system is open for applications. The circular will come with the regulations and the new documentary requirements to accompany an application that involves a forest entrance.A new release into IFORIS iNet – the online system for tracking forestry applications – was scheduled for last Friday to allow applications under single consent to begin. The legislation is not retrospective.
“Applications received before 7 February must be accompanied by planning permission, where appropriate,” the DAFM spokesperson said. “However, applicants are free to withdraw and resubmit.”
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: