Hugh Clayden, head of tree health

The tree health landscape in

(mainly) Scotland

Hugh ClaydenForestry Commission Scotland

15 October 2014

What are we up against?

What can we do about it?

Keeping things in perspective

Phytophthoras

Insects

Fungi

ComplexesBacteria

USA, CA

AU, NZ

Asia

100 years

50 years**

25 years

Average Rainfall

+27%

+1.0 -+1.6

∘C

∘C

1961 -2011

Averagetemperature

?

?

?

Dothistroma needle blight

86 (out of 129) Pinus species known to be susceptible

Distribution on national forest estate

Phytophthora ramorum

Phytophthora ramorum

Lagphase

Exponential Decline

Phytophthora ramorum

1st finding (on larch) in

November 2010

EU2 lineage (2011)

75%+ larch still healthy

Chalara dieback of ash

Mid -1990s

Chalara

2012

Chalara

Chalara

Sheltered area

Buff

er a

rea

Phytophthora austrocedrae

Phytophthora lateralis

Recently confirmed on Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)

714 pests in the UK Plant Health Risk Register

(October 2014)

44%

13%

6%

1%

8%

1%2%1%2%

1%

11%

0%

2%

1%

1%

1%1%

4%

Sitka spruce

Scots pine

Corsican pine

Norway spruce

Larches

Douglas fir

Lodgepole pine

Other conifers

Oak

Beech

Sycamore

Ash

Birch

Sweet Chestnut

Hazel

Hawthorn

Alder

Willow

Other broadleaves

Scotland

Stocked area by principal tree species at March 2012

broa

dlea

ves

other conifers

Sitka spruce

44%

13%

6%

1%

8%

1%2%1%2%

1%

11%

0%

2%

1%

1%

1%1%

4%

Sitka spruce

Scots pine

Corsican pine

Norway spruce

Larches

Douglas fir

Lodgepole pine

Other conifers

Oak

Beech

Sycamore

Ash

Birch

Sweet Chestnut

Hazel

Hawthorn

Alder

Willow

Other broadleaves

Scotland

Stocked area by principal tree species at March 2012

Dothistroma

Ramorum

D. micansP. lateralisP. austrocedraePine tree lappetPine beautyFusarium

AOD, OPM, Chalara, SCB, ALB, CLB, P. cinnamomi,P. pseudosyringaePseudomonas spp, DED

??ElatobiumD. micansIps typographusSpruce budwormPhytophthorasHybrids?

Lower risk (?)

High impact

What are we up against?

What can we do about it?

Keeping things in perspective

Species choiceSilvicultural

systemsLength of rotation

Spectrum of approaches

Resilience-building measures

Select the most suitable species and genotypes

Reduce other pressures on forests

Maintain or add diversity in structure and species

Living with Environmental Change(LWEC): Tree health and Plant Biosecurity Initiative

• (£9.2M) 2014 -2017• BBSRC, ESRC, NERC, Defra, FC, Scottish Government

asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry

vegetative compatibility of fungi

botanicals and biocontrol with entomopathogenic fungi (“lure and kill”)

genomics

protein fusion technology

Pest Host

Environment

Socialscience

• Review of the EU Plant Health Regime

• Expert Taskforce on Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity

• Sir Mark Walport Review (Animal & plant health in the UK – assessment of future national capacity)

• UK Chief Plant Health Officer

• UK Plant Health Risk Register

• Scottish Tree Health Advisory Group

• Potential ‘Centre for Expertise in Plant Health’ (Scotland)

What are we up against?

What can we do about it?

Keeping things in perspective

Annual crop yields (globally) reduced by 20-40% due to pests and diseases (source IPCC)

Irish potato famine 1845Good design +Good silviculture +Good science

+

53%

13%

0%

4%

7%

2%

6%

2%2%

2%2%

1%4%

0%

1%

0%

1%

Sitka spruce

Scots pine

Corsican pine

Norway spruce

Larches

Douglas fir

Lodgepole pine

Other conifers

Oak

Beech

Sycamore

Ash

Birch

Sweet Chestnut

Hazel

Hawthorn

Alder

Willow

Other broadleaves

Scotland

Standing volume by principal tree species at March 2012

broadleaves

Sitka spruce

other con

ifers

Sitka spruce

53%

13%

0%

4%

7%

2%

6%

2%2%

2%2%

1%4%

0%

1%

0%

1%

Sitka spruce

Scots pine

Corsican pine

Norway spruce

Larches

Douglas fir

Lodgepole pine

Other conifers

Oak

Beech

Sycamore

Ash

Birch

Sweet Chestnut

Hazel

Hawthorn

Alder

Willow

Other broadleaves

Scotland

Standing volume by principal tree species at March 2012

AOD, OPM, Chalara, SCB, ALB, CLB, P. cinnamomi,P. pseudosyringaePseudomonas spp, DED

Dothistroma

Ramorum

D. micansP. lateralisP. austrocedraePine tree lappetPine beautyFusarium

??

ElatobiumD. micansIps typographusSpruce budwormPhytophthorasHybrids?

Lower risk (?)

High impact

(62% of conifer volume)

Who owns the risk?