The Forestry Commission has contacted Stock Parish Council to alert villagers to its work on the eradication response to the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, which is an invasive and regulated pest in England.
Ips typographus targets weakened or damaged spruce trees, and bad winter weather can create an ideal habitat for them. The beetles are being blown over from outbreaks in mainland Europe and, if left unchecked, could potentially build in numbers and would be devastating to the country’s timber industry.
The Forestry Commission therefore advise proactive management of spruce to remove potential habitat and risk of infestation, and is encouraging everyone in the Proactive Spruce Removal Area to be vigilant for windblown, snapped, damaged and stressed spruce trees, and to submit a TreeAlert report for anything of concern or email ips.t@forestrycommission.gov.uk.
This could be landowners, those directly involved with managing spruce (eg foresters, tree surgeons, Christmas tree growers), or members of the public who use spruce woodlands recreationally (eg dog walkers, ramblers).
Additional info can be found via the GOV.uk Ips typographus page.
