National Plant Health Week 2025
National Plant Health Week is an annual designated week of action to raise public awareness and engagement on how to keep our plants healthy.
It is a collaborative effort by over 30 organisations across the UK who are committed to protecting the health of the UK’s plants and trees. The week also incorporates the United Nations International Day of Plant Health.
As a signatory of the Plant Health Accord, Action Oak recognises the enormous value to society, human health and the environment of healthy plants and trees, that these values are threatened, and that action is required to protect them.
This year, Action Oak is supporting Plant Health Week from 5 - 12 May 2025.
Healthy plants and trees are vital for our survival and provide us with many benefits, but our plant health is under threat from pests and diseases and climate change. Our plants also provide an annual value to our society of £15.7billion.Plants help us breathe plants produce 98% of the oxygen we breathe.
Plants help fight climate change: It is estimated that 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide is stored in UK forests. Trees are the ultimate multi-taskers in the fight against climate change.
Emerging threats to plant health:
Like people, plants can become sick from pests and diseases, and we need your help to protect them. Our plants and trees are increasingly vulnerable to pests and disease, due to the globalisation of trade and travel, human activity, and climate change. In addition, climate change and human activity have altered ecosystems, reduced biodiversity and creating new opportunities for pests to thrive.
Protecting the UK from plants pests and diseases is far more cost effective than dealing with plant health outbreaks. Government and the plant sector are leading the way and taking actions to address these threats.
We all have an important role to play in keeping our plants healthy. There are many actions you can take to be a responsible plant health citizen and protect the UKs plants and trees from pest and diseases.
Key actions you can take to be a good plant health citizen
Look out for signs of pests and diseases using the free resources provided by Observatree and the new iNaturalist plant health project page. TreeAlert can be used to report any concern on your local trees. This information supports important tree health monitoring and surveillance work, contributes to ongoing scientific research and helps to protect the nation’s trees.
‘Don’t risk it!’ Don’t bring plant material (plants, trees, fruit and seeds) into the UK from trips abroad. These might be carrying harmful pests and diseases
Buy your plants and trees responsibly- Source plants from reputable nurseries and
suppliers, such as those with Plant Healthy certification. Check out the YouTube Video: ‘Buying Responsibly with Pippa Greenwood’
Keep it clean by cleaning boots, bikes and buggies before visiting woodlands and parks, otherwise you could spread harmful organisms like fungi, bacteria and insects.
As a signatory of the Plant Health Accord, Action Oak recognises the enormous value to society, human health & the environment of healthy plants and trees, that these values are threatened, and that action is required to protect them.
International Day of Plant Health, 12 May
The United Nations designated 12 May the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.
The Day is a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020.
Watch DEFRA’s International Year of Plant Health animation
