Christmas tree shortage looms as invasion of beetles put supplies at risk

An invasive beetle that kills Christmas trees by tunnelling into their bark to lay eggs is feared to be spreading across Britain.

Growers have taken urgent action to protect supplies ahead of the festive season.

The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle is typically found in mainland Europe and northern Asia. But since arriving in the UK in 2018 it has been spotted in Kent and Sussex, and now moved into Bedfordshire and East Anglia.

The Ips typographus, inset, mainly attacks Norway spruce used in homes at Christmas but can spread to related ­species, such as pines.

It could cause major damage to the forestry and timber industries in the UK, the Woodland Trust said.

Last week, the Forestry Commission banned the planting of new spruce trees in parts of East Anglia and south-east England from October 29, and the felling of spruce trees over 10ft is also restricted. Affected areas include parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Greater London, Lin­­colnshire, Bedfordshire, Camb­­ridge­­shire, Hampshire, Essex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Exemptions are in place for some nurseries and farms but there are fears that if the bug spreads, Christmas trees will be in short supply.

The British Christmas Tree Growers Associ­­ation’s chairman Russell Parkins said members are adhering to guidelines but the highest demand for family Christmas trees is six to eight feet. “These trees are under the current 10ft restriction,” he said.

The Environment Department’s Professor Nicola Spence urged landowners to “check the health of their spruce trees and take swift action to deal with susceptible material”.

Other invasive species in the UK include the grey squirrel, the Asian hornet and Japanese knotweed.