Plants> Plant Protection Policy Directives > Forestry 

SUBJECT

This directive contains the phytosanitary requirements for the importation of propagative and non-propagative materials, of oak (Quercus spp.), chestnut (Castanea spp.), chinquapin (Castanopsis spp.), and tanbark oak (Lithocarpus spp.), originating from the continental United States (US), to prevent the entry of oak wilt disease caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum (Bretz) Hunt.

Note: All non-propagative forest products with bark and nursery stock are subject to requirements pertaining to gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L). Depending on the state of origin, nursery stock shipments may be subject to additional phytosanitary requirements to prevent the entry of soybean cyst nematode, Japanese beetle, Columbia root knot nematode, and golden nematode into Canada.

Note: All non-propagative forest products with bark from all areas other than the continental US require prior approval from the Plant Health Division (PHD) based on a Pest Risk Assessment as stipulated in PHD’s policy directive D-02-12.

Table of Contents

Review
Endorsement
Amendment Record
Distribution
Introduction
Scope

1.0 General Requirements
1.1 Legislative Authority
1.2 Fees
1.3 Regulated Pests
1.4 Regulated Commodities
1.5 Commodities Exempt
1.6 Regulated Areas

2.0 Specific Requirements
2.1 Import Requirements
2.2 Inspection Requirements
2.3 Non-Compliance

3.0 Appendices
Appendix 1: Conditions of Entry for A Permit to Import Logs with Bark for Processing from Areas Infested with Oak Wilt
Appendix 2: Sampling Table for Inspection of Logs

Review

This directive will be reviewed every five years unless otherwise needed. The next review date for this directive is March 28, 2011. The contact for this directive is Joanne Rousson. For further information or clarification, please contact the Forestry Section.

Endorsement

Approved by:

Amendment Record

Amendments to this directive will be dated and distributed as outlined in the distribution below.

Distribution

1. Directive mail list (Regions, PHRA, USDA)
2. Provincial Government, Industry (via Regions)
3. National Industry Organizations (determined by Author)
4. Internet

Introduction

Oak wilt disease, caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum (Bretz) Hunt, does not occur in Canada. It is considered the most serious disease of oak in North America. Oak and other related species, such as chestnut, are valuable hardwood species in the Deciduous Forest, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and Acadian Forest regions in Canada. They are also valuable as landscaping and shade trees in urban areas. Their wood is much in demand for furniture and flooring.

The major method of transmission of oak wilt disease is by the passive movement of spores of the fungus from a diseased tree to an adjacent healthy tree via natural root grafts. Spread of the disease by this means is slow. The other method of infection is via wounds that penetrate the bark of the tree. Nitidulid beetles commonly attracted to sap exudates caused by fresh wounds and the fruit-like odour of the fungus mat may be responsible for the transmission of fungal spores from diseased trees to healthy trees.

Currently the control for oak wilt disease is difficult and ineffective. As the fungus has not been isolated from heartwood, removal of bark before logs are shipped may reduce the risk of spreading the fungus by logs.

Canadian manufacturers have been importing logs and other forest products with bark attached of various species from the continental US for many years. In general, these products have been certified as coming from an area free from quarantine pest(s) or treated in a manner to eradicate quarantine pest(s). However, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has made exceptions to allow non-propagative forest products with bark moving from infested areas of the US to non-infested areas of Canada in the cases of gypsy moth and oak wilt disease provided special permit conditions were met. These conditions included proper treatment and disposal of bark and timber waste materials.

Scope

Any person importing propagative or non-propagative materials of oak (Quercus spp.), chestnut (Castanea spp.), chinquapin (Castanopsis spp.) or tanbark oak (Lithocarpus spp.) must meet the requirements of this directive in order to prevent the introduction into Canada of oak wilt disease (Ceratocystis fagacearum (Bretz) Hunt.

This policy supersedes the Plant Health Import Operation Directive No. 012-0, 01-06-87.

1.0 General Requirements

1.1 Legislative Authority

The Plant Protection Act, S.C. 1990, c. 22
The Plant Protection Regulations. SOR 95/212
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice, Canada Gazette, Part 1, (05/13/2000)

1.2 Fees

The CFIA is charging fees in accordance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice. For information regarding fees associated with imported product, please contact the Import Service Centres (ISC) at the following phone numbers: Eastern ISC 1-877-493-0468; Central ISC 1-800-835-4486; Western ISC 1-888-732-6222. Anyone requiring other information regarding fees may contact any local CFIA office or visit the CFIA's web site.

1.3 Regulated Pests

Oak wilt disease, (Ceratocystis fagacearum (Bretz) Hunt)

1.4 Regulated Commodities

Propagative and non-propagative material, including nursery stock, logs with bark attached, bark, pulpwood and firewood, of all species of: oak (Quercus spp.), chestnut (Castanea spp.), chinquapin (Castanopsis spp.) and tanbark oak (Lithocarpus spp.).

1.5 Commodities Exempt

Debarked forest products of the regulated species. Debarked wood must have no more than 2% of the surface of all regulated articles and no more than 5% of the surface of a single article retaining bark in a shipment.

1.6 Regulated Areas

The following states in the continental US are regulated for oak wilt disease:

2.0 Specific Requirements

2.1 Import Requirements

2.1.1 From Regulated States in the Continental US

2.1.1.1 Propagative Material

A Permit to Import is required for plants and plant parts of regulated species.

A Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the national plant protection organization must accompany the shipment stating that:

"Material was produced in a nursery declared to be free of oak wilt disease (Ceratocystis fagacearum) on the basis of inspection during the previous growing season.";

2.1.1.2 Non-propagative Material

A Permit to Import is not required for regulated material originating from regulated states of the continental U.S., except situations described in Section 2.1.1.3 below. A Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the national plant protection organization must accompany the shipment stating that:

“The material was produced in a County where oak wilt disease (Ceratocystis fagacearum) does not occur”

OR

The Phytosanitary Certificate shows, in the treatment section, that the material was fumigated with methyl bromide or other treatment pre-approved by CFIA. Temperature, dosage and duration of the treatment must be provided and must be according to the treatment manual of the United State Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services.

OR

The Phytosanitary Certificate shows in the treatment box that the material has undergone another treatment pre-approved by CFIA.

2.1.1.3 Exceptions:

The requirement for phytosanitary certification may be waived if an importer has obtained a Permit to Import issued pursuant to Section 43 of the Plant Protection Regulations for processing. Although other conditions may apply, the following conditions are normally stipulated on the Permit to Import:

• No Phytosanitary Certification is required.
   
• The material governed by this permit must be transported directly to the place specified herein.
   
• All logs must be processed and/or debarked within 30 days after importation.
   
• All logs must be held in a secure area isolated from host tree stands.
   
• All bark and other waste products must be disposed of or treated (e.g., burning) in a manner approved by CFIA.
   
• The importer must clean the storage yard annually in a manner approved by CFIA to remove all bark and other residue.
   
• ·All shipping records and other documents pertaining to the imported material must be maintained on file by the importer for a period of at least one year from the date of importation, and must be provided to a CFIA inspector upon request.

  Prior to the issuance of Permit to Import, the importer must complete and sign a Conditions of Entry form (Appendix 1) and have the importing facility inspected by a CFIA inspector. The Permit to Import may be renewed annually if the importer has demonstrated a good compliance record and passed the CFIA inspections.

2.1.2 From Non-regulated States in the Continental US

2.1.2.1 Propagative Material

A Permit to Import is required for plants and plant parts of regulated species originating in non-infested states of the continental US. A Phytosanitary Certificate is required but the requirement for an additional declaration for oak wilt does not apply.

2.1.2.2 Non-propagative Material

All regulated material harvested in non-infested states of the continental US may be imported without a Permit to Import or a Phytosanitary Certificate, provided that the shipping documents clearly state the origin of the material

2.2 Inspection Requirements

2.2.1 Shipments of Non-propagative Material Entering Under a Section 43 Permit to Import

All establishments which import regulated materials from infested states in the continental US for processing, will be inspected bi-annually, once in the spring and once in the fall when the fungus produces cushion-like fungus mat under bark. During each inspection, the inspector may request a review of shipping records and other import documents, and may walk through the facility checking for safeguard measures that prevent the oak wilt fungus from spreading into the surrounding environment as stipulated in the Conditions of Entry form (Appendix 1).

The inspector may also select and inspect a representative number of logs at each importing establishment, as per sampling table found in Appendix 2. The selected logs should be set aside in a manner to allow for proper and safe inspection by an inspector. Inspection of logs in stock piles can be dangerous and is not recommended. During inspection of individual logs, the inspector should look for discolouration of the outer ring of sapwood and for a fungus mat (“cushion mat”) under bark which may crack or split the bark. If found, samples of discoloured wood or of a fungus mat may be submitted to the Centre of Expertise for Plant Quarantine Pests in Ottawa, Ontario for identification and confirmation.

2.2.2 Other Shipments of Propagative and Non-propagative Material

Pursuant to the work plan, CFIA inspectors will inspect shipments and ensure that:

• a Phytosanitary Certificate accompanies the shipment and that the appropriate additional declaration is stated, and
   
• the shipment is visually free from regulated pests.

2.3 Non-Compliance

Any regulated material certified free from oak wilt disease and found to be in non-compliance with the import requirements will be ordered removed from Canada, disposed of or treated in a manner approved by a CFIA inspector. Any costs incurred are the responsibility of the importer.

For facilities that import regulated materials for processing under special permit conditions, any non-compliance with the permit conditions will result in suspension of the Permit to Import.

3.0 Appendices

Appendix 1: Conditions of Entry for A Permit to Import Logs with Bark for Processing from Areas Infested with Oak Wilt
Appendix 2 : Sampling Table for Inspection of Logs

Appendix 1

Conditions of Entry for A Permit to Import Logs with Bark
for Processing from Areas Infested with Oak Wilt

A Permit to Import issued pursuant to Section 43 of the Plant Protection Regulations authorizes the importation of logs with bark from the US with phytosanitary certification at origin waived. The issuance of a Permit to Import will be based on the capability of the importing firm, named below in section 1, to comply with the conditions stipulated in section 2 below.

Appendix 2

Sampling Table for Inspection of Logs

* For lot sizes of 500 or less, the sample size is determined by taking a 10% sample of the total lot.