Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae

The cost of fungus

Whitehall belts may be tightening, but the government has found millions to fight killer fungus. Regular readers may recall I charted the spread of the misnamed "sudden oak death" disease at the end of last year.
Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae are strains of a deadly plant disease plaguing historic gardens, woodland and heathlands across England, Wales and parts of Scotland.
According to environment minister Jane Kennedy, who today announced £25m for a five-year eradication programme in England and Wales, "if this disease spreads, it could mean parts of the countryside being cordoned off, and more limited public access - in addition to further loss of our precious woodland".

But eradication comes at a price, too. The main source of the disease is the Rhododendron ponticum which has invaded many large public gardens and historic estates. A cost-benefit analysis for the government last year [185k PDF]