Biosecurity Information
International, national and regional organisation biosecurity links:
International Plant Health Sentinel Network
https://www.bgci.org/our-work/
European Commission – Plant Health & Biosecurity
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/plant_health_biosecurity_en
Defra – Plant Health Portal
https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/
Gov.UK – Forestry Commission – Tree Pest & Diseases
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tree-pests-and-diseases
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-the-introduction-and-spread-of-tree-pests-and-diseases
Forest Research
https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/
Arboricultural Association – Biosecurity
https://www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Biosecurity-Guidance
Observatree – An early warning system for tree health - The Association of Tree Officers is an associate of Observatree.
www.observatree.org.uk
London Tree Officers Association
https://ltoa.org.uk/resources/pest-diseases/pest-disease
Observatree, early warning system for tree health
This multi-partner project pulls-together tree health research and expertise and combines them with trained volunteers and educational resources to help people to identify and report a selection of important tree pests or diseases. The Observatree volunteers have reported significant pest and disease findings and they help to support tree health scientific studies and targeted surveys. The highly acclaimed pests and diseases identification guides, videos and other resources that underpin the volunteer training are used and promoted by professionals; they are freely available from the Observatree website. The website hosts regular blogs, and the project producesa quarterly e-newsletter that can be subscribed to. Observatree volunteers submit their tree health reports through TreeAlert, an online system that can be used by anyone to report suspected tree pests or diseases.
TreeAlert is the official tool used to gather information about tree health issues across Great Britain. Information on unhealthy trees submitted through TreeAlert is reviewed by tree health scientists at forest Research, who will attempt to diagnose the cause of the problem. This information supports important tree health monitoring and surveillance work, contributes to ongoing scientific research, and helps to protect the nation's trees. TreeAlert is available for anyone to use. A Tree Officer role is available under the ‘Client Affiliation’ (part of the data submission process) that will help to identify enquiries submitted by Tree Officers.
Local Authority Ash Dieback links:
Listed below are links providing information on how some local authorities are dealing with Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus). (The Association of Tree Officers does not endorse the examples listed below but hopes the examples will give some indication as to what some local authorities have in place at present).
Kent County Council
https://www.kent.gov.uk/
Norfolk County Council
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling-and-planning/trees-landscape-and-ecology/ash-dieback
West Sussex County Council
www.westsussex.gov.uk/ashdieback
Devon County Council
https://www.devonashdieback.org.uk
