Brass band needs new junior players
EUROPE MUST implement greater protection against a disease which could threaten UK plants and trees including oaks, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has warned.
The horticulture sector is also being urged to take action to prevent Xylella fastidiosa, which is having a devastating impact on plants such as olive trees in parts of mainland Europe, spreading to the UK.
Mr Gove wants the European Commission to take stronger action to halt the march of the disease, including more checks on high-risk plants as they are moved between countries.
If the EU does not take action, the UK could take steps to stop the arrival of Xylella in this country, including suspending imports of plants which carry the disease such as rosemary, lavender, olives, oleander and almond trees. The disease has not yet reached the UK but if it did, the impact would be significant for the horticulture sector due to the restrictions that would need to be introduced, the Environment Department (Defra) said.
While it is difficult to predict which UK plants could be vulnerable to infection, experts are most concerned about a subspecies of Xylella which can survive in cooler climates and affect a wide range of hosts, including broadleaf trees such as oaks.
In a letter to the EU Commissioner for health and food safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, Mr Gove said preventing further spread of Xylella was of “paramount importance” and welcomed the introduction of emergency legislation.
But he wrote: “I am very concerned about the increase in findings in the EU, most recently in mainland Spain, which raises serious questions about the robustness of the EU’s present arrangements and the wisdom of allowing high-risk species to move across borders unchecked.
“With the ongoing risk of infected plants being moved to new areas, it is vital we move swiftly to strengthen our protection, including through increased testing and setting higher biosecurity standards for production.”
If the appropriate level of protection is not forthcoming from the EU’s review, the UK could introduce enhanced import requirements for plants from other EU countries or a suspension of imports of high-risk species, he said.
The Government’s chief plant health officer Nicola Spence has also urged all plant importers and traders to follow the lead of those who have committed not to bring in any host plants from EU counties or regions where Xylella is present.
Hebden Bridge Junior Band is on the lookout for new members after returning from a tour of the Netherlands.
No experience is necessary to join the brass band as both lessons and instruments are available for a small fee.
The band stayed in Utrecht this summer while it toured the Netherlands, stopping in Kerkrade, Amsterdam and seaside resort of Zandvoort.
To inquire about joining, call 07879 998151.