The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that imports of roundwood logs from a pest free area (PFA) in Scotland are subject to an inspection regime.
In response to concerns about the threat posed by the bark beetle, the department said that all coniferous roundwood timber imports into Ireland must be compliant with the EU Plant Health Regulation, while importers must be registered as professional operators.
“Importers in Ireland are prohibited from importing roundwood from areas known to be affected by quarantine bark beetle species.
“The only area internationally where imports into Ireland of coniferous roundwood with bark is permitted is from a specific UK Government authority assigned ‘pest free area’ in the west of Scotland,” a DAFM spokesperson told Agriland.
DAFM
As the bark beetle has been detected outside PFA in Britain, the department said it has been engaging directly with Scottish forestry authorities, Northern Ireland and the European Commission to ensure that the pest free status of the island of Ireland is maintained.
It said that all imports from the Scottish PFA must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate which is issued by the UK Government authority, in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
This certification states that the logs meet the phytosanitary import requirements of Ireland and the EU.
The department added that it regularly engages with stakeholders, including on phytosanitary risks.
Along with launching the Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025, DAFM said there has been significant investments in EU border control post facilities to allow inspections of plants and plant products from non-EU countries.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is calling for a temporary suspension on the importation of timber from Scotland until a full review of the biosecurity measures for the great spruce bark beetle is undertaken.
The association said the insect is now an established pest in southern Scotland and is slowly extending its range northwards.
The bark beetle tunnels into the bark of living trees to lay eggs and the larvae then feed on the living woody material. This forms cavities which can weaken the tree and eventually kill it.
IFA Farm Forestry Committee chair Jason Fleming has urged the government to take the threat posed by the insect to the Irish forestry sector more seriously “given the gravity of the situation”.
Fleming has also called for the immediate establishment of a Spruce Bark Beetle Taskforce.
“Any action Ireland takes in response to threats from pests must also be compliant with EU Plant Health Regulations and the International Plant Protection Convention,” a DAFM spokesperson said.