Will the Minister confirm what steps the Welsh Government will take to assist Natural Resources Wales and landowners in controlling and eradicating phytophthora pluvialis, further to the reported sighting via the online portal?
Welsh Government is currently exploring all options in response to the initial finding of Phytophthora pluvialis to limit the potential spread of this disease. This may include issuing Statutory Plant Health Notices, establishing demarcated areas and movement restrictions around outbreak sites. We will work closely with NRW, who discovered the existence of the pathogen in Wales through a programme of planned surveillance, to ensure a coordinated response.
Phytophthora pluvialis is a novel pathogen which was identified in Cornwall last month. The finding in Cornwall was the first finding of this disease in Europe. Scientists, policy makers and practitioners across GB are working collaboratively to better understand the potential impact of this new tree disease.
Welsh Government officials are working closely with cross-border colleagues as well as Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Forest Research, APHA and the Forestry Commission to understand the spread of this pathogen. NRW are leading the surveillance programme in Wales which will run until February-March 2022. The results of these surveys will provide critical evidence of the spread and extent of the disease across Wales and will inform the managed response.