Cardiff plays host for the first time this week to a gathering of international experts that will address threats to forests and woodlands in Europe and neighbouring countries.
Plant health experts from around 20 countries will attend the Forest Quarantine Panel forum that takes place in Cardiff Bay from 17-19 March.
The forum will address a range of topical issues in plant health. These include diseases such as the fungus Chalara fraxinea, which has killed ash trees in Europe, and Phytophthora ramorum, which has caused sudden oak death in California.
Phytophthora ramorum has been found on rhododendrons and trees in woodlands in South West England and in Wales, and in plant nurseries throughout Great Britain. It was recently found to affect larch trees in South West England and detailed surveys during 2010 will assess whether larch trees are also affected in Wales.
Other topics to be addressed at the forum include the pine wood nematode, which is causing tree death in Portugal, and emerging pests, such as the citrus longhorn beetle, which is present in some European countries, and the emerald ash borer, which has recently been found in Russia.
Elin Jones, Minister for Rural Affairs, will open the forum and welcome the delegates to Wales.
Elin Jones said, “This important international forum offers an opportunity for the Welsh Assembly Government to interact directly with plant health experts to discuss how we can anticipate and prevent new arrivals of pests and pathogens that could endanger the health of our woodlands.”
Dr Hugh Evans, Head of Forest Research in Wales for the Forestry Commission, is a member of the Forest Quarantine Panel and one of the organisers of the forum.
Dr Evans said, “The Forest Quarantine Panel addresses ongoing and emerging issues related to threats posed by pests moving internationally.
“We last met in Moscow during 2009 and so it is a great pleasure to be able to welcome the Panel to Wales.
“This forum will focus on topical issues in plant health, some of which are already present in Europe and some of which we want to ensure we keep out.
“Managing our woodlands by protecting our trees from pests and diseases will enable them to provide environmental benefits both now and in the future.”
The Forest Quarantine Panel is part of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO). EPPO is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for European co-operation in plant health.
