FCS scotches media sensationalism over disease threat to Scottish Sikta spruce

Two instances of the disease – also known as sudden oak death – were recently found. One was in a small group of 40-year-old trees in Galloway and the other is a single tree at Ae near Dumfries.

Newspapers The Times and The Herald have covered the discovery, with the former running a headline “Disease puts £1bn timber trade at risk” and the latter using “Sudden death killer disease stalking Scottish forests”.

However, FCS says while the infected trees will be felled and the areas monitored, research and previous history suggests that the impact to Sikta spruce from the disease is likely to be minimal.

“Scientific evidence shows that Sikta spruce is considered to be of very low susceptibility to P. ramorum and no negative impacts have been observed on the large areas of Sikta spruce adjacent to infected stands of larch in south-west Scotland,” said FCS in a statement.

“Findings of P. ramorum on Sikta spruce are not new. There have been a number of historical findings, none of which have shown signs of disease expansion in adjacent spruce crops.

“We will of course continue to investigate the new cases, and have initiated additional surveillance, but early indications and previous experience suggest that the impact on Sikta spruce is likely to be minimal.”

In addition to an annual tree health aerial and ground surveillance programme, FCS has also initiated additional ground surveys of Sitka spruce in the Management Zone in Galloway and investigating other potential pathways that might have been associated with the two recent findings and is working with Forest Research to establish a project to help confirm the level of risk.

Phytophthora ramorum has mainly affected Japanese larch in the UK, severely infecting the species across various regions.