Science, biosecurity and keen eyes on the ground are working to protect all our forests from new pathogens. Radiata pine makes up more than 90 per cent of the production forests which cover around 1.7 million hectares of New Zealand. It is risky for the forest industry to be largely based on one species. A new pest or pathogen arriving on our shores could endanger an annual export revenue approaching $7 billion.Research into controlling pathogens, changes to forest management or losses simply being deemed acceptable have reduced damages from various pathogens over the years. But past successes do not guarantee a problem-free future. A changing climate and ever-increasing global trade mean the arrival of the next exotic pathogen is inevitable. Combining a reduction in genetic variation and a possible decrease in resistance to new diseases with the movement towards more use of planting clones, we need to be on our guard in our forests at the border and be prepared to respond to the next incursion.
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