Fireblight warning — our native hawthorn trees and hedges are at risk

Imports of hawthorn are putting native hawthorn trees and hedges — as well as cotoneaster, apple, pear, and rowan — at risk and must be halted immediately say environmental groups. 

A lone hawthorn tree on the Curragh Plains in County Kildare. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Hedgerows Ireland, An Taisce, and Environmental Pillar which represents 32 of Ireland's leading environmental NGOs, are calling on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to act urgently on the risk of fireblight. 

What is fireblight?