10 August 2011

CHESTNUT BLIGHT ERADICATION CONTINUES

Biosecurity experts from the Department of Primary Industries and staff from the Alpine Shire Council are joining forces to protect Bright’s iconic oak stands and the region’s chestnut industry by removing a small number of oaks trees at risk of carrying chestnut blight.

The first Australian case of the exotic disease was detected in the Ovens Valley in September last year, prompting the removal of more than 4000 chestnut trees at nine different infection sites across the Valley.

Work is about to start on the removal of about 30 oak trees in the region, which could be harbouring the disease as they are located within 100 metres of known chestnut blight infection sites.

The Department’s Chief Plant Health Manager at Biosecurity Victoria, Dr Patrick  Sharkey said there was an unacceptable risk that the trees could be infected with the disease and must be removed to prevent future outbreaks and restore the region’s chestnut blight free status.

“Oak trees can be killed by chestnut blight. Making matters worse the disease can remain dormant in oaks for many years and symptoms are difficult to detect,” Dr Sharkey said.

“Infection can be passed to other trees through spores carried on the wind, birds or other animals and even by the simple act of pruning with unsterilised equipment such as a chainsaw.

“The removal of this small number of trees from within the infection zone is based on the best scientific advice and is an important insurance policy for this region - failure to do so could lead to further chestnut blight outbreaks in the future.

Alpine Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Ian Nicholls said council had been briefed on the issue and accepted the need to remove a small number of oaks trees to help ensure the future of iconic oak stands along Bright’s main thoroughfares and the the Region’s $8 million pa chestnut industry, which is largely based in the Ovens Valley.

“Our major tree-line avenues so loved by locals and visitors alike are too important to be put at risk of infection by Chestnut Blight. We must remove a handful of trees to protect the rest from the risk of infection,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Now is the best time to act - while the trees are dormant. We will work closely with expert staff from the Department to ensure disruptions and the impact to public amenity is reduced as much as possible.”

Dr Sharkey said about a dozen oak trees would be removed by specialist contractors working to strict biosecurity standards at an area adjacent to the Bright Recreation Reserve.

The remaining trees, located at another six locations on private properties where chestnut blight was detected last Spring, will also be removed.

Any oak within 100 metres of an infected chestnut grove would be taken out and, if required, replaced with a species of tree that is resistant to chestnut blight.

Dr Sharkey said there was currently no need to remove any other species of host trees including oak trees in non affected parts of the Oven Valley.

Monitoring by DPI of host trees in the region would continue for the next two years to ensure any residual infection could be detected early and quickly removed.