Vandals have caused damage to machinery being used by Forestry Commission Wales and its contractors to fell trees infected by ramorum disease in Afan Forest near Port Talbot.
Two harvesting machines were damaged in two separate attacks and, as a result of the vandalism, Forestry Commission Wales has increased the number of patrols made by its security guards to harvesting sites in the area.
Ramorum disease was first identified in Japanese larch trees in Wales last year when 876 hectares of these trees were found to be infected.
Initial surveys this year indicate that this fatal tree disease has infected a further 227 hectares of Japanese larch trees in Wales. Most of these newly diagnosed trees are in woodlands in the Afan Valley adjacent to the areas where the outbreak was found last year.
Peter Cloke, Deputy Forest District Manager, Forestry Commission Wales said, “The only known way to prevent the spread of ramorum disease is to fell infected trees as quickly as possible and thereby kill the living plant material on which the Phytophthora ramorum pathogen depends.
“Whilst it is worrying that we have to fell a large number of Japanese larch trees in Afan Forest again this year, it would seem that our decision to swiftly fell infected trees last year has played a key role so far in managing this major outbreak.
“We are working very hard to minimise the impact of this disease and it is frustrating to have our efforts hindered by the recent vandalism inflicted on harvesting machinery.”
If anyone has any information about the attacks on the harvesting machinery or sees people behaving suspiciously in woodlands, they are asked to report it to the police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Further information about Phytophthora ramorum is on the Forestry Commission’s website at www.forestry.gov.uk/pramorum.
