Pine Wilt Nematode Moves Beyond 2.4 Million Acres Of Portugese Forest Already Affected - Reuters

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LISBON - Portugal is struggling to contain a new outbreak of nematodes, microscopic worm-like organisms that are killing wild pine trees and threaten to spread abroad despite drastic measures to stop their advance. The government cut a 430 km (265 mile) corridor through Portugal's southern forests last year to contain the Pine Wilt Nematode within a 1 million hectare (2.47 million acres) area, about one ninth of Portugal's forested land.

The nematodes were first detected in Portugal in 1999 and have spread at an alarming rate, prompting the European Union to offer Portugal some 8 million euros to control the plague in recent years. There is no cure for the infestation.

The new outbreak was detected recently in central Portugal when the organisms began to spread in the warm spring weather.

"The government measures managed to control the nematode in the southern region of Setubal," Agriculture Ministry spokesman Mario Ribeiro said on Wednesday. "But ... in one of our routine analyses, we found a new outbreak in two areas in the centre of the country." The ministry said the affected areas were in the Arganil and Lousa municipalities, in one of Portugal's largest wild pine forest regions.

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