Biosecurity, Ash tree dieback
Government experts questioned on plans to combat ash dieback
4 December 2012
Ash dieback disease (Chalara fraxinea) has been identified at a number of UK sites in both nursery stock and mature trees. Ash dieback poses a significant threat to the country’s some 80 million ash trees but there are many other pests and pathogens which also pose a threat to a range of UK plants and trees.
This session will ask Government experts about short term plans to help combat Ash dieback and about longer term plans to mitigate risks to the nation’s flora.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday 11 December at 2.00pm in Committee Room 15, Palace of Westminster.
Witnesses
At 2.00 pm
- Professor Ian Boyd, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Martin Ward, Head of Fera's Policy Programme and UK Chief Plant Health Officer, Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera)
- Roger Coppock, Head of Analysts, The Forestry Commission
Written evidence submitted by Defra (PDF)