On August 21, 2018,
new legislation will come into force to protect oak trees against the imminent
danger of introducing oak processionary moth (OPM, Thaumetopoea processionea) into the OPM Protected Zone through
import and movement.
The legislation
applies to oak trees (Quercus), other
than Q. suber, with a girth of 8cm or
more at 1.2m above the root collar.
Such trees represent
the greatest likelihood of introducing OPM, hence the need for strengthened
requirements. Existing requirements continue to apply for trees with a
smaller girth than 8cm.
Photo: Forestry Commission.
The action has been
taken following a recent interception in trade of OPM from the Netherlands. OPM
caterpillars cause significant damage to oak trees and can pose risks to human
and animal health.
The legislation
prohibits the movement of plants into the OPM protected zone unless specific
conditions are met. The legislation requires that imports into and movements
within the OPM protected zone can only take place if the oak trees concerned:
- have been grown throughout
their life in places of production in countries in which Thaumetopoea
processionea is
not known to occur;
- have been grown throughout
their life in a protected zone which is recognised as such for Thaumetopoea
processionea or
in an area free from Thaumetopoea processionea, established by the national
plant protection organisation in accordance with ISPM No. 4;
- have been produced in
nurseries which, along with their vicinity, have been found free from Thaumetopoea
processionea on
the basis of official inspections carried out as close as practically
possible to their movement and official surveys of the nurseries and their
vicinity have been carried out at appropriate times since the beginning of
the last complete cycle of vegetation to detect larvae and other symptoms
of Thaumetopoea processionea; or
- have been grown throughout
their life in a site with complete physical protection against the
introduction of Thaumetopoea processionea and have been inspected at appropriate times
and found to be free
For information on
management zones and OPM, visit forestry.gov.uk.
Detailed operation
guidance will be available in the next two weeks about these new requirements.
The Forestry
Commission has operated an OPM Control Programme since 2013. As part of this
Defra has set policies and control restrictions on the import and movement of
oak trees to limit the spread of OPM. OPM is an established pest in
London and surrounding areas, but the majority of the UK is designated a
Protected Zone and Defra have strengthened protection to mitigate the risk of
introducing OPM into the UK OPM Protected Zone.
