Pine protection campaign destroys 12,000 cubic meters of diseased wood

A nationwide pine protection campaign launched in April has led to the confiscation and destruction of more than 12,000 cubic meters of wood infected with pine wilt disease.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the Ministry of Public Security and the General Administration of Customs have destroyed about 1,076 cubic meters of imported pine wood and about 11,000 cubic meters of domestic wood so far.

The campaign is targeting illegal activities related to the spread of the disease, and administrative and criminal cases dealing with violations such as the introduction of the disease from abroad have been investigated and prosecuted in 21 provinces.

A severe outbreak of pine wilt disease, which is spread by a worm native to North America, has killed many trees in China in recent years. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration said infected trees had a high mortality rate and controlling and preventing the disease was challenging.

In 2021, it initiated a five-year campaign to contain the spread and impact of the disease. By the end of last year, infections and mortality rates had declined for two consecutive years.