Blight extends Sweet Chestnut trade restrictions in South West
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South West Chestnut Blight demarcated area
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Sweet Chestnut Blight
- Trade restrictions to prevent Sweet Chestnut Blight are extended in Devon, and the area will now include a small part of Cornwall
- Restrictions on sweet chestnut trees and other susceptible material will apply across the expanded area to help prevent further spread
- Public urged to remain vigilant and report suspected findings through TreeAlert
The Forestry Commission has expanded the area subject to Sweet Chestnut Blight restrictions in south-west England following the discovery of further infected sites near the boundary of the restricted areas first announced in March.
The enlarged demarcated area, which comes into force on 26 August, now covers West Devon District and the South East Cornwall constituency.
Trade controls
Trade controls on sweet chestnut trees and other susceptible material will apply throughout the expanded zone in an effort to limit the spread of the disease. The extension follows surveillance work that identified additional outbreaks with buffer zones extending beyond the current restricted area.
The latest findings add to concerns about the spread of Sweet Chestnut Blight, caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica. A Devon outbreak detected in October 2025 was the first UK occurrence showing sexual sporulation since 2011. Recent surveillance has found the same characteristic at additional sites, indicating increased production of airborne spores and a greater risk of long-distance spread.
Defra's Chief Plant Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spence, said the increased risk in parts of the South West made extending the demarcated area a necessary measure to help protect sweet chestnut trees.
The Forestry Commission is urging woodland owners, land managers and horticultural businesses to remain vigilant for symptoms and report suspected cases through the TreeAlert system. It is also encouraging participation in the Check a Sweet Chestnut campaign, run with the Royal Horticultural Society and Forest Research to improve detection and reporting of the disease.
Other locations
While Sweet Chestnut Blight has been recorded at a number of locations in England since 2011 (Kent 2017), the Forestry Commission's latest announcement concerns the expansion of the South West demarcated area, extending restrictions from Devon into part of Cornwall.
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