Plant Health & Biosecurity

Our Commitment to Plant Health

At Trebrown Nurseries, the health of Britain’s trees and woodlands is central to everything we do.

We are fully registered and inspected by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and are authorised to issue UK Plant Passports for all regulated plants, including forestry trees.

This means our nursery operates under statutory UK plant health legislation and is subject to regular government inspection to ensure our stock is free from harmful pests and diseases and that our biosecurity standards meet national requirements.

Statutory Registration and Oversight

• Registered with APHA as a Professional Operator.
• Annual inspection by APHA Plant Health and Seed Inspectors.
• Authorised to issue UK Plant Passports, ensuring full traceability of every batch of trees we supply.
• Full compliance with the Plant Health (Phytosanitary Conditions) Regulations.
• Compliance with Forest Reproductive Material (FRM) Regulations where applicable.
• Listed on the official APHA register of authorised distance sellers.

These statutory controls exist to protect our forests, woodlands and customers from the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases. We meet — and where practical exceed — these requirements.

Plant Healthy Certification

Some nurseries participate in the "Plant Healthy" assurance scheme. This is a voluntary industry certification and is not a legal requirement.

Trebrown Nurseries operates under direct registration and inspection by APHA, the UK’s competent plant health authority. Our compliance is monitored through official government inspection within the statutory regulatory framework.

We are an independent, specialist forestry nursery and grow one of the most extensive selections of native and forestry trees supplied in Britain. As a focused producer — rather than a large, general horticultural nursery — we concentrate our resources on maintaining rigorous plant health standards, full traceability and strict biosecurity under direct statutory oversight.

Our Biosecurity Practices

We operate robust internal biosecurity procedures to minimise risk at every stage of production and supply.

Sourcing Policy

• We do not import trees from outside Great Britain.
• We do not purchase trees from nurseries that import stock.
• Seed is sourced in accordance with APHA guidance, including "The Plant Health Guide for Importers".
• Seed imports are reported to the Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) via IPAFFS where required.

Reducing plant movement across borders significantly reduces the risk of introducing new pests and diseases into the UK.

Hygiene and Site Controls

• All visitors clean and disinfect footwear before entering growing areas.
• Staff disinfect footwear and equipment immediately after visiting external sites.
• Strict hygiene routines are maintained throughout the nursery.

Monitoring and Inspection

• Regular crop inspections carried out by trained staff, with written records retained.
• Ongoing staff training in pest and disease identification and awareness.
• Monitoring of plant health developments through regulatory and industry updates.
• Samples of any unidentified plant health concerns are sent to specialist laboratories for analysis.
• Independent inspections by APHA and, where relevant, Forest Research.

We are, and have always been, free from quarantine diseases.

Review

This Plant Health and Biosecurity Policy is reviewed annually and updated where necessary to reflect changes in legislation or best practice.