Planting of New Spruce Trees to be Banned in Parts of U.K to Slow Spruce Bark Beetle Infestation

The BBC.com on Wednesday (10-9-24), reported that the planting of new spruce trees is being banned in parts of East Anglia and South East England as part of new measures to limit the impact of an invasive beetle. The Ips typographus, or larger eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle, is a serious pest of spruce trees in Europe and was first spotted in the UK in Kent in 2018.

The Forestry Commission says that the measures were necessary “to limit the spread of the beetle and protect our nation’s trees, forestry and timber industries”. The new spruce tree planting restriction are effective as of October 29, 2024, and covers parts of Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Greater London, Sussex, Kent, and Essex.

Prof Nicola Spence, from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: “Pest and pathogens present a great risk for our biosecurity and, in particular, Ips typographus has the potential to cause significant damage to Great Britain’s forestry and timber industries.”

The commission added: “Under the notice, exemptions are available for lower risk scenarios, such as trees grown at nurseries, for ornamental or scientific purposes and for the purpose of trade in large Christmas trees.” The insect is present in spruce trees, especially Norway spruce, in most of Europe and has probably blown into the regions.