An outbreak of fireblight has been identified on a number of whitebeam street trees in the Bayside area.  Due to the severity of the disease, the trees will have to be felled.  The notice from the Council Parks Department is below.

Despite Ireland’s protected status, there doesn’t seem to be any public information on the web from the Department of Agriculture.  The UK government has a very informative leaflet at http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestnote/fireblight.pdf

(Update (July 2008) – Dept of Agriculture information is at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/index.jsp?file=crops_and_plants/plant_health/plant_health.xml )

Fireblight is a serious disease of plants in the rose family which

includes hawthorn, rowan/mountain ash and whitebeam. If the disease were

to become established in Ireland, particularly on hawthorn, it would be

catastrophic. The disease is covered under plant hygiene regulations and

the Department of Agriculture must be notified if it is found. Plants

with the disease must be removed immediately and destroyed by burying or

burning. Whitebeam is particularly susceptible.

In May 2007 fireblight was found on 2 street trees (whitebeam) on

Seagrange Avenue. The Department was notified and the inspector

confirmed that it was fireblight. The trees were removed and destroyed

under the supervision of the Department. In July 4 more whitebeam trees

were found with the disease on Verbena Avenue and these have also been

removed. This week a further 16 whitebeams have been identified with the

infection at

Bayside Blvd North No. 27

Verbena Avenue No.’s 106/108, 45/47, 37/39, 33/35, 29/31, 82/84, 13/15,

50/52, 22/24,

6/8, 26/28 and the first tree on the

left as you enter from Kilbarrack

Road. 3 trees at No.’s 17/19, 62/64, 66/68 are suspected of being

infected but not confirmed at this stage.

Alden Park No. 42/44

Verbena Grove No. 5/7

All of the trees with the infection will be removed in the next few

weeks and destroyed.

It is intended to replace all of the trees with species resistant to the

disease. Residents will be notified when the trees are being removed but

there is no possibility of retaining trees where the disease has been

identified.