People of Wales encouraged to protect plants and trees
The Welsh Government is reminding people of what they can do to protect plants and trees in Wales from pests and diseases during National Plant Health Week.
Plants and trees are vital, producing the oxygen we breathe, acting as carbon sinks and providing us with food to eat.
A new report published today looking at public attitudes towards plant health and Invasive Non-Native species, which surveyed 1,000 people in Wales, shows most respondents said protecting plants and trees was important to them.
However, only 23% actively sought out information about pests and diseases.
Only 54% of those surveyed recognised personal imports of plants from abroad are a high risk to Wales’ own plants and trees.
As set out in the GB Plant Biosecurity strategy published in January, Welsh Government has taken action to protect plants and trees by establishing surveillance networks across Wales looking for plant and tree pests and diseases, as early discovery gives the best chance to tackle them.
Opportunity
Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “National Plant Health Week provides a great opportunity for us all to consider how we can act to protect our plants and trees from pests and diseases.
“There are some simple ways of doing this such as not bringing back plants and seeds from holidays abroad. It’s also important to make sure we all try to follow biosecurity measures like cleaning our boots after a walk in the woods.
“It is important to report any pests or diseases spotted on plants and trees in gardens or while out and this can be done through Tree Alert or the UK Plant Health Portal.
“Plants and trees are important, but we know they are at risk. We all have a role to play in helping ensure we protect them.”
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Is that why Mr Sauro was allowed to cut down the iconic redwood and 70 odd other trees at Penllegare a on land he apparently did not own? Letters to Swansea city council have failed to provide an adequate explanation. Meanwhile the Welsh Government is encouraging tree planting with conifers whose 60 year life will not result in net carbon fixing and by permitting English companies to do this for carbon credits allowing yet more rural Welsh speaking communities to be obliterated.
So where is the Welsh Government ‘s support to save the Penrhos woodland Park in Holyhead?
As expected they duck and dive to avoid major issues and concentrate on trivia. Anyway, it seems Wales doesn’t exist North of Brecon.
All good points. However, should we not be asking questions about what to do about invasive non native species? Here in Ceredigion both Japanese Knot weed and Himalayan Balsam are allowed to run riot and will eventually obliterte all the local natural flora. I suspect that other counties hava similar problem though I believe that Cornwall has a zero tolerance policy for Japanese Knot Weed and is apparently winning that battle.