Conference to tackle forest diseases

Forest Research scientists and the head of the Forestry Commission’s Plant Health Service will address an important conference in April to raise awareness and understanding of tree diseases and pests.

The event, organised by the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) and Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE), is a response to concerns about the number of diseases currently affecting trees and woodland in Britain, and the potential severity of their impact.

Scientists from Forest Research, the scientific research and technical development arm of the Forestry Commission, will make presentations in the first session of the day. They are Dr Joan Webber, head of pathology,

Dr Sandra Denman, senior pathologist, and Dr Nigel Straw, senior entomologist. They will set the scene by describing current trends in tree diseases, health issues affecting native British oak, and pests and diseases of horse chestnut. Roddie Burgess, Head of the Commission’s Plant Health Service, will speak on bio-security issues, and Tim Rollinson, Director-General of the Commission, will chair the session.

The conference will discuss the challenges that tree diseases pose, in the context of conservation, economic and societal implications of epidemics and how they might be tackled. Speakers include Jonathan Hazel (Parkwood Holdings), Keith Kirby (Natural England), Colin Price (Bangor University), Susana Mourato (London School of Economics), Peter Savill (Oxford Forestry Institute), and Karen Russell (Lockhart Garratt).

It will also present brief case studies of tree disease management to highlight lessons that can be used to inform future good management.