The Forestry Commission has extended the demarcated area for Sweet Chestnut Blight in Devon to include a small part of Cornwall, effective 26 August 2026. The expansion follows new findings of infected sites near the current boundary, with buffer zones extending beyond the existing area. Trading restrictions on sweet chestnut trees and susceptible materials will apply across the expanded zone to prevent disease spread. Recent surveillance confirmed sexual sporulation, increasing airborne spore production and spreading risk. The Commission urges woodland owners and the public to report suspected cases via the TreeAlert portal. Defra Chief Plant Health Officer Nicola Spence emphasized the need for vigilance, while Forestry Commission Head Andrea Deol highlighted the importance of restricting movement of susceptible material. The Check a Sweet Chestnut campaign, partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society and Forest Research, encourages public participation in disease detection. A map of the updated area and guidance are available on GOV.UK.
© Crown copyright, 2024, GOV.UK.
Summary adapted from content licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
For details, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.
Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
Made by AI. If you spot anything of concern write us at contact@cybach.com. We’ll promptly correct irregularities.