Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced in January that there would be tighter controls of the importing of native tree species from the EU, in the government’s latest bid to protect against disease and pests.
And the new rules on importation of sweet chestnut, oak, plane and ash trees from EU trees are now in force. They mean that plant health inspectors will be able to conduct very targeted inspections, and trace saplings if there are any concerns that a disease or pest may be present.
Equally, any business which imports tree plants, and the buyers who purchase them, will have confidence that any issues will be spotted at an early stage.
The controls bring EU imports into line with trees entering outside the EU, under which importers need to tell the relevant authorities:
Inspectors are then able to assess risk, and decide whether testing is required.
Clearly, the new controls mark a departure from the current situation – whereby single market rules mean the authorities are not aware of what trees are entering the UK from EU member states.
Own Paterson said: “We have learned from the recent situation with ash tree dieback the importance of acting quickly and finding out where infected trees may be. These new controls should make a real contribution in preventing diseases from establishing themselves in the first place.”
At the same time, a Plant Health Task Force report is anticipated before the summer. Chaired by Chief Scientific Adviser at Defra Ian Boyd. It has already produced an interim report, in which it recommends:
The new scheme also comes after an informal consultation with key groups such as the NFU and the Horticultural Trade Association.
Of course, if you are buying wood-based products, you can also do your part by choosing an ethical timber merchant which prioritises environmental concerns.
Booker Timber is one such merchant.
What Booker Timber Offers
At Booker Timber, our marketplace is the UK’s industrial sector, and the regional DIY and trade markets in the North West.
As well as offering an extensive selection of timber-based products, from chipboard to marine plywood, our nationwide specialist sheet material cutting, routering and machining service is second to none.
And we offer all customers a number of great benefits, including:
There’s more on our website.
