The fifth National Plant Health Week is taking place from 5-12 May 2025. It is a designated week of activity to raise awareness amongst the public, and professional operators on how to keep our plants healthy. The week long series of events and activities ends on 12 May, which is International Day of Plant Health, and the theme for this day is “one health”.
National Plant Health Week is a collaborative effort by over 30 organisations who have an interest in plants, from across the UK and who are committed to protecting the health of our nation’s plants and trees.
The partnership approach is essential to safeguard the health of our nation’s plants and trees and the benefits they provide for society, the environment and the economy. Together the partnership wants to:
- Help everyone to become a responsible plant health citizen who understands the risk of plant pests and diseases and the need to protect them.
- Encourage people to sign up to local plant walks in their area, to see their local plants and trees and understand, and learn more about the threats they are facing.
- Ensure everyone knows where to find information about pests and diseases, and how to report sightings of pests and diseases that are threatening the health of our plants and trees.
Why are plants important?
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. Some key stats.
Value
- Our plants provide an annual value to our society of £15.7billion
- In 2023, trade in plants and plant commodities was worth around £18.1bn annually of which £16.3bn was imports to the UK – Forestry Statistics 2024. Forest Research
- There are around 32,000 ornamental horticulture businesses in the UK supporting the employment of 335,200 workers and contributing £11.4bn to the UK economy. 2019 Ornamental Horticulture Skills Survey
- In 2023, there were an estimated 1,400 garden centres and retail nurseries in the UK. Horticultural Trades Association 2023
- UK households spent an estimated £13.2 billion on garden goods in 2023, equivalent to £1 in every £100 of household spending.
- Consumer research shows that around £1 in every £10 of expenditure on garden plants is now spent online
The good they do
- Plants feed us: 80% of the food we eat comes from plants. It is estimated that 20% to 40% of global food production is lost annually due to plant pest and diseases. Food security therefore relies on safeguarding the health of our plants from pest and disease outbreaks.
- 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. They can help prevent flooding, reducing city temperatures, reduce pollution and keep soil nutrient rich.
- 3 billion kg of air pollutants are removed by plants each year in the UK.
- Allotments and community growing spaces provided an estimated 116 million kilogrammes of produce in GB in 2020, equivalent to feeding approximately 800,000 people per annum
Wellbeing
- Doubling the tree species richness in a postal code area increases the likelihood of reporting good mental health by over 5%.
- Higher tree density within 1,000m was associated with higher likelihood of reporting “very good” or “excellent” health.
- Living near areas with a tree canopy cover of at least 30% has been shown to improve sleep patterns in middle to older aged adults.
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 are 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.
What can you do?
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. There are resources on Forest Research’s webpages where you can learn about common tree pests and diseases, as well as potential new threats to our forests.
- Take part in a local plant health walk and webinars during Plant Health Week. To find out more, visit the Plant Health Action Website to sign up.
- ‘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’
- When you buy online, always try to buy from an authorised UK seller. You can now check whether the seller is authorised to sell plants online
- Keep it clean by cleaning boots, bikes and buggies before and after visiting woodlands and parks, otherwise you could spread harmful organisms like fungi, bacteria and insects. Effective biosecurity helps to keep our environment healthy.