Canker stain of plane

New canker stain of plane documents: Prevention and Outbreak

The London Tree Officers Association (LTOA) is pleased to announce the publication of two new guidance documents relating to canker stain of plane (CSP, Ceratocystis platani).

The first is called Canker stain of plane: A guide to prevention and is a brief reminder for tree officers and contractors of the importance of biosecurity in the fight to prevent Ceratocystis from entering the UK.

The second is called Canker stain of plane: Dealing with an outbreak. This document is designed to inform and support tree officers and others working in the arboricultural industry should Ceratocystis be confirmed as having arrived in UK. It is a brief, practical document intended to bring relevant information together into once place and ensure that in the event of an outbreak in the UK we are well-placed to eradicate the disease before it becomes established.

Both documents have been influenced by the excellent work of the Forestry Commission, including the Keep it Clean campaign and the Ceratocystis platani Contingency Plan.

Ceratocystis platani is a fungal pathogen which affects the genus Platanus and causes infected trees to die. It is spread predominantly by contaminated equipment being used on uninfected trees, although it can also be transported via root grafts.

Since October 2014 the UK has held EU Protected Zone Status (PZS) for Ceratocystis, requiring robust controls relating to importations of plane trees and ensuring that planes can only be imported from other areas which have been designated free of the disease. PZS surveys for CSP are carried out annually in the UK.

The LTOA, under contract to the Forestry Commission, has been carrying out these surveys in Greater London since 2013. At the current time it is not believed that Ceratocystis is present in the UK. The definitive UK Ceratocystis text Detecting and identifying canker stain of plane, by Lucio Montecchio; revised and updated by Neville Fay and John Parker, is available from the LTOA (www.ltoa.org.uk) or Treeworks Environmental Practice (www.treeworks.co.uk).

Detecting and identifying canker stain of plane

The LTOA has become a UK partner in the new Euphresco project Identification of Cryphonectria and Ceratocystis spp. occurring on sweet chestnut and Platanus spp. 

We have also set up a new CSP working party made up of 8 LTOA members which will be looking at drawing up guidance for tree officers and contractors.

The LTOA – in association with Treework Environmental Practice – has released a new industry publication: Detecting and identifying canker stain of plane. This 48-page A5 colour booklet contains all of the essential information about canker stain (Ceratocystis platani) and should be regarded as essential reading for anyone interested in finding out more about the disease.

It includes chapters detailing morphology and infection strategies, movement and spread, symptoms, practical survey tips, sample collection and fungal identification, the UK and Italian methods of prevention and control and a comprehensive list of references and further reading. The text is accompanied by colour photographs on almost every page and drawings/diagrams to assist identification and diagnosis.

The booklet was authored by international expert in Ceratocystis platani Professor Lucio Montecchio, of De Rebus Plantarum at the University of Padua. This 2nd edition English-language version has been revised and updated by John Parker of the LTOA and Neville Fay of Treework Environmental Practice to include additional material relevant to the UK situation, including the methodology and results of the LTOA Protected Zone Status surveys for Ceratocystis in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Since 2014 the LTOA has been leading on monitoring plane trees in London for the presence of canker stain, working closely with the Forestry Commission, Forest Research and several tree officers and managers to survey thousands of trees across the capital to meet the requirements necessary to retain Protected Zone Status This ensures that plane saplings can only be imported into the country from other areas which have been confirmed as being free of the disease.

The LTOA has developed considerable expertise in the subject and in October 2016 was confirmed as the UK partner in a new pan-European Euphresco project – Identification and early detection of Cryphonectria parasitica and Ceratocystis platani occurring on trees in Europe.

Copies of the booklet are priced at just £5 and are available to purchase from the LTOA.

Some example pages are available here

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LTOA elect new Executive Committee

The London Tree Officers Association (LTOA) has announced the election of a new Executive Committee to head up the association for the next two years. The Executive Committee was elected by the members of the LTOA and will continue to promote urban forestry and represent tree officers in London and beyond. For full details of the LTOA and short biographies of the Executive Committee please visit http://www.ltoa.org.uk/about-the-ltoa/the-executive-committee.

The new Chair of the Executive Committee is John Parker (Transport for London) and the Vice Chair is Barbara Milne (City of Westminster). The other members of the Committee are Andy Tipping (Barnet), Clare Pappalardo (Haringey), Colleen O’Sullivan (Camden), Craig Ruddick (Richmond), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Gary Meadowcroft (Southwark), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Lawrence Usherwood (Brent), Oliver Stutter (Southwark) and Richard Edwards (Croydon).

John Parker, new Chair of the LTOA, said “I believe that a healthy population of urban trees is best achieved through a healthy population of urban tree officers. Over the next two years the Executive Committee will continue to ensure that the LTOA provides representation and support to our members and to tree officers everywhere. We will continue to offer high-quality professional publications and seminars and will also seek to build stronger relationships across the UK and internationally, particularly with our friends and colleagues in Europe.”

For more information please contact Becky Porter, Executive Officer on 07771 976238 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.ltoa.org.uk.

Early Bird Booking Opens for Trees, People and the Built Environment 3

Early Bird 15% discount ends 29 January 2017 for further information and booking visit: www.charteredforesters.org/tpbe3

Day 1 : Roads to Place - A Focus on Trees and Transport   
Day 2 : The Health Crisis – A Focus on Trees and Health

Confirmed Keynote speakers;

Maarten Buijs, Senior Project Manager at internationally acclaimed Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm, West 8.

Professor Miles Tight, Professor of Transport, Energy and Environment, University of Birmingham.

Dr Matilda van den Bosch, University of British Columbia, landscape planning and public health expert.

Professor Rhiannon Corcoran, Professor of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, UK.’

 The triennial conference is a unique gathering of built and natural environment professionals, working towards the shared goal of enhancing green infrastructure. It provides an important platform for collaboration between professions and offers new research on the environmental, social and economic benefits of urban trees. Next year’s conference focuses in particular on two themes: health and highways. Prof Alan Simson, TPBE3 Conference Chair, commented on the significance of these subjects:

“The significant relationship between trees, people and place has been a ‘known known’ for a long time, but it is only relatively recently that research has been able to positively prove the benefits of this relationship, particularly to the places where we live, love, work, recreate and have our being. This conference will focus upon two specific yet inter-related aspects of these benefits – those associated with human health and well-being, and those associated with movement and transport. Key speakers from both overseas and the UK will be presenting aspects of their research and best practice into these important themes at this conference, which will be a significant event in promoting the benefits that trees can bring to urban futures in the 21st century.”

Confirmed keynote speakers for this event include landscape planning and public health expert, Dr Matilda van den Bosch, University of British Columbia; Prof Miles Tight, Professor of Transport, Energy and Environment, University of Birmingham; and Maarten Buijs, Senior Project Manager at internationally acclaimed Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm, West 8.

TPBE3 is hosted and organised by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) on behalf of a group of partner organisations, including: Ancient Tree Forum, Arboricultural Association, Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, Forestry Commission England, Forest Research, Fund4Trees, Green Infrastructure Partnership (TCPA), Institution of Civil Engineers, London Tree Officers Association, Municipal Tree Officers Association, National Association of Tree Officers, Place Alliance, Society for the Environment, Trees and Design Action Group, Urban Design Group, Utility Arboriculture Group and Woodland Trust.

Shireen Chambers FICFor, ICF Executive Director, welcomed the opportunity for collaboration with such a wide range of natural and built environment organisations; 

“The Institute of Chartered Foresters is proud to host and organise the Trees, People and the Built Environment conference series on behalf of the conference partners. The event is a unique opportunity for professionals from across the natural and built environment sectors to meet and collaborate on the important issue of urban greening. Urban trees are an essential part of our green infrastructure and it is imperative that we provide such opportunities for joined-up thinking across the professions.”

The 2011 and 2014 conferences were sell-out events and international interest is expected once again this year. The Institute is advising early booking to make the most of the early bird rate, which offers a 15% discount on full-price two-day tickets. Early bird booking ends 31 January, 2017.