Plant trees from UK, says charity

People planting trees have been urged to ensure that saplings have been grown on home soil.

As the season for tree-planting approaches, the Woodland Trust has warned businesses and individuals to check where saplings have come from to prevent the spread of pests and diseases from other countries.

The charity has created an accreditation scheme to highlight when nurseries sell trees of UK provenance. It allows tree planters and gardeners to make sure saplings have come from a safe source.

Between 1970 and 2013, 267 plant pathogens became established in Great Britain – and two thirds were native to continental Europe.

The Trust also wants to see better border control. It says that if plant material is checked more thoroughly, fewer pests and diseases are likely to enter the UK.

Samantha Herbert