Applying for Ips typographus authorisation
Find out how to apply for an authorisation to fell, stack, transport or process spruce trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
Aim of authorisations:
In order to track the presence and movement of spruce trees (Picea species) and material from the demarcated area (DMA) for Ips typographus, land and woodland owners, managers, agents and anyone involved in planting, harvesting, transporting or processing spruce originating in the DMA must apply to the Forestry Commission for authorisation for the following activity types:
Authorisation types:
- intention to plant spruce authorisation
- intention to fell authorisation
- movement/dispatch authorisation
- intention to stack timber authorisation
- processor authorisation (for anyone handling controlled material originating in the Ips typographus DMA)
Intention to plant spruce authorisation:
If you intend to plant spruce (trees of the genus Picea A. Dietr.) in the demarcated area (DMA) you need an authorisation, unless exempt under the specified circumstances listed within Notice 7 (2024).
This prohibition of planting spruce trees applies to any trees grown in the ground or in planting containers. Full details of these exemptions are detailed within Notice 7 (2024).
Exemptions are in place for:
- planting varieties or cultivars of spruce that do not reach over 3m in height at full maturity
- planting spruce trees for the purpose of trade at nursery sites
- planting spruce trees for the purpose of trade in Christmas trees is permitted within the notice, providing the trees do not exceed 3m in height above the root collar; the purpose of trade in Christmas trees must apply for the entire duration the trees are on site
- planting spruce trees for ornamental or scientific purposes under specified circumstances; this is restricted to a maximum of 5 trees per hectare, where the total number of trees in any one hectare does not exceed 5
Nurseries and landscapers trading with customers located inside the demarcated area, should make sure that customers are aware of the spruce planting restrictions.
If you intend to plant spruce trees within the DMA outside the scope of the exemptions, authorisation may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Contact us to check eligibility for authorisations before applying.
To apply for this authorisation, contact: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Planting of spruce that would be considered commercial timber planting will not be permitted within the demarcated area. Additionally, planting of spruce for use as a nurse crop, windbreak or shelterbelt will not be permitted.
Intention to fell authorisation
Any felling, thinning, stem injection, ring barking or single tree removal operations of all species of spruce (Picea) in the DMA must be notified to Forestry Commission Plant Health Forestry (PHF) a minimum of 14 days in advance of operations.
This includes trees and woodlands covered by existing Woodland Management Plans (WMP), felling licences and arboricultural work plans that predate the creation of the DMA, but have not yet been carried out.
A pre-harvesting standing timber inspection will need to be carried out by the Forestry Commission. The 14 days notice is the minimum notice period required, to provide sufficient time for an inspection to be carried out.
If evidence or indication of the presence of infestation by Ips typographus is found onsite, this will be reported back to the Forestry Commission and appropriate escalation will be implemented.
How to apply
The woodland owner/manager/contractor contacts PHF at least 14 days in advance of any harvesting and provides the information listed below:
- site map with access details, including gates/keys/codes where relevant
- full contact details of applicant
- the approximate age of timber to be harvested (e.g. young, pole, mid-rotation, mature veteran)
- a grid reference of the compartment to be harvested
- a site contact and risk assessment/site constraints (if available)
- the estimated volume/m3 of timber to be harvested, or the number of trees
- the type of operation (e.g. thinning/clear fell/stacking/component removal)
Email all the information to: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk
You will receive a response from PHF within 4 working days. An inspector will arrange a visit to the site to carry out the inspection.
If evidence of Ips typographus is found
If the inspector finds evidence or indications of Ips typographus activity, the site is escalated to a more rigorous inspection, and harvesting will not be able to take place at this point.
If no evidence of Ips typographus is found
If the inspector finds no evidence or indications of Ips typographus, an authorisation letter will be issued, and harvesting can take place. The authorisation is valid for 3 months after which time a subsequent authorisation will be required.
On thinning sites, the inspector will offer advice and guidance on trees that are deemed high risk for infestation, and signpost further biosecurity guidance. The inspector may mark or tag high risk trees and require these to be removed during thinning operations.
PHF Inspectors will also offer guidance on the placement of woodpiles/timber stacks.
The authorisation letter will include a unique identifying reference number associated with the intention to fell and movement/dispatch application, which should be referenced in correspondence and dispatch notes and records.
Christmas trees
If the you are harvesting spruce Christmas trees (Picea species) in the DMA, authorisation will be granted on a combined felling and movement authorisation. A physical inspection may not be necessary, as most Christmas trees do not have the potential to host the pest.
Dispatch/movement authorisation
Dispatch inspections are to be carried out by PHF inspectors at a target ratio of 1 inspection per 300 m3. This is subject to site-specific conditions.
All relevant material originating from within the DMA must go to an authorised processor.
Material from sites within the DMA not known to be infested following an authorisation to fell inspection, can be left on site if chipped or burnt. If you intend to leave material on site with bark attached, authorisation to stack timber must be granted by Forestry Commission. See timber stacking authorisation.
Stumps may be left, but must be cut as low as practical.
Low risk spruce material can be moved in the round to an authorised processor within the DMA. If felled between March and August, it must be processed before the end of February the following year. If felled after 31 August, it must be inspected and processed prior to the end of February, 2 calendar years later. For example, if felled in September 2023, the timber must be utilised by the end of February 2025.
Alternatively, low risk spruce material can be moved in the round to authorised processors beyond the DMA boundary. In this case, material must be moved from site and processed within 8 weeks if leaving the DMA between 1 March and 31 August, unless authorised in writing by a PHF inspector. If felled after 31 August, the material must be moved and processed by the end of the following February.
Spruce material from within the DMA that is chipped (G50 grade or smaller) on site prior to dispatch can be moved to an authorised processor without prior authorisation, but PHF must be notified of all dispatches. You must notify PHF of the planned timescale of dispatch and the destination of the material, quoting the reference number of your original application.
Depending on the timescales of movements, PHF may require the installation of pheromone traps for monitoring purposes. This will be discussed with you during the application and inspection process.
If evidence of Ips typographus is found
During dispatch/movement authorisation inspections, PHF will inspect spruce material on your site. If the presence of Ips typographus is confirmed, the site will be escalated for further surveillance. Material confirmed to be infested will be issued with a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) under current policy. This would mandate the destruction of the woodpile (e.g. by chipping) as well as the felling of all spruce within 300m of the log pile, and the felling of stressed spruce within 1km of the log pile.
If no evidence of Ips typographus is found
If the material is found to be free of infestation, a movement/dispatch authorisation letter will be issued. The authorisation confirmation letter will define site details, volume and timescales.
Records of dispatch, i.e. date/volumes/destination/vehicle registration/processor details/application reference will be retained by PHF.
Applications for movement authorisations can be made by email to: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Infested material associated with an SPHN
Movement of any infested material from a site under an SPHN will be in the form of chip. The application of this phytosanitary control means that no dispatch authorisation is required for this material.
Timber stacking authorisation
If you intend to stack or leave spruce material on site within the DMA to season (dry out) or for any other reason, you must apply for authorisation.
The timber stacking authorisation process does not apply to authorised processors.
There is a different authorisation process for sites without a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) and sites with a SPHN.
Sites without a SPHN
For spruce material originating from sites without a SPHN, the following conditions must be met before authorisation to stack timber is granted:
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There must be no standing spruce under different ownership to the applicant within 300m of the proposed stacking location. If there is spruce under the same ownership as the applicant, authorisation may be granted; however, an inspector will highlight the risk and outcome if an infestation is discovered in the stacked timber.
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Where practical to do so, timber stacks should be covered entirely with a thick tarpaulin to help reduce the risk of infestation.
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Timber stack height must allow inspection from ground level. If not practical to do so, the owner of the timber stack must provide the means to dismantle the stack and present specified logs in a safe manner for inspection within 24 hours of a request from an Inspector.
An inspector may refuse authorisation of timber stacks based on advice from Forest Research, proximity to known outbreaks, or any other risk factor.
Site with a SPHN
For spruce material originating from SPHN sites, the following conditions must be met before authorisation to stack timber is granted:
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Authorisation will not be granted if there is any standing spruce, regardless of ownership, within 300m of the proposed stacking location.
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All high risk material originating from the SPHN operation must either be destroyed or have been uplifted and dispatched from the affected site under the timeframe instructed in the SPHN.
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Material intended to be stacked must be from a low risk category. For example, healthy spruce within 300m of an infestation.
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Material intended to be stacked must be harvested a minimum of 12 months after the infestation was discovered.
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Where practical to do so, timber stacks should be covered entirely with a tarpaulin to help reduce the risk of infestation.
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Timber stack height must allow inspection from ground level. If not practical to do so, the owner of the timber stack must provide the means to dismantle the stack and present specified logs in a safe manner for inspection within 24 hours of a request from an inspector.
An inspector may refuse authorisation of timber stacks based on advice from Forest Research, proximity to known outbreaks, or any other risk factor.
How to apply for authorisation to stack timber
Applications for timber stacking authorisations can be made by email to: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Alternatively, an inspector will ask you at the authorisation to fell inspection if you intend to stack timber following the end of operations.
A minimum of 14 days notice is required, to provide sufficient time for an inspection to be carried out.
Processor authorisation
Processor authorisations aim to:
- track timber movement from the DMA into the market
- remove the risk of spreading infestation from sites via movement or subsequent movement of material
Two categories of authorisation are provided:
- to receive and process material from within the DMA, inspected and deemed to be non-infested: this can be either material from sites not known to be infested, or low risk inspected material from those under SPHN
- to receive and process high risk material under SPHN in the form of wood chip
Processor authorisation process
- businesses must become authorised to receive either infested (high risk) or non-infested (low risk) spruce material from the DMA
- businesses apply to the Ips typographus team, using the Ips typographus authorisations application form
- a PHF inspector will visit the premises to ensure you’re aware of the biosecurity requirements and that you can meet the outlined conditions
- authorisation will be confirmed by an official letter from PHF
Processor conditions:
- the processor may have one or more pheromone traps installed, which will be maintained by PHF, requiring regular site access
- relevant material should be stored on hard standing to provide access for further sampling, if required
- PHF inspectors will offer guidance on the placement of timber stacks
- between 1 March and 31 August, spruce material from within the DMA must be felled, moved, and processed within 8 weeks, if moving outside the DMA
- low risk co-product can enter the horticultural supply chain
- the premises can be visited at any reasonable time by a PHF inspector to ensure conditions are being complied with
- samples of products, co-products or residue are to be made available to PHF inspectors prior to authorisation
- all records of deliveries and dispatch of relevant spruce material are to be made available to PHF on request
- authorisation remains valid for 12 months
- Plant Health will contact authorisation holders to discuss authorisation renewal annually
- processor authorisations and relevant premises may be audited at any point during the valid authorisation period or for a period of 3 years
Updates to this page
Last updated 23 October 2024 + show all updates
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Added an up to date version of the application form.
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Added new section: Intention to plant spruce authorisation.
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Added references to stacking timber and added a new section called 'Timber Stacking Authorisation'.
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First published.