Defra restricts oak movements to tackle moth threat

As of 21 August 2018, restrictions on the import of most species of oak into England have been introduced as part of new regulations to protect native trees from the threat of oak processionary moth (OPM). 

The new regulations ban the movement of certain oak trees into the UK’s OPM Protected Zone (an area of the EU declared free of the pest) unless specific conditions are met. They cover both imports from overseas and movement of trees from areas of the country where OPM is already present – in London and surrounding counties.

The measures cover all oaks (Quercus) – with the exception of cork oak (Quercus suber) - which have a girth of 8cm or more at 1.2 metres above the root collar and are imported from either the EU or a third country or moving into the Protected Zone from other parts of England. This is because such trees represent the greatest likelihood of introducing OPM.

The regulations apply to all businesses which import and move oak trees.