Ash tree disease now at 11 sites

Nov 8 2012

A disease threatening to devastate the UK's ash trees has now been found at 11 sites in Scotland, the First Minister has revealed.

The figure for sites infected by Chalara ash dieback was recorded on Thursday morning, up by four since Wednesday.

Alex Salmond told Holyrood the impact of fungal diseases on Scottish trees was "hugely important" and Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse will convene a summit on the issue on Tuesday.

He said at First Minister's Questions: "Members will be aware that ash dieback has been detected at some sites in Scotland. Over the weekend and the start of this week Forestry Commission officials worked around the clock completing a rapid survey to identify potential distribution of the disease in Scotland."

He added: "I can inform the chamber that, as of this morning, there were 11 sites in Scotland with confirmed signs of the disease. Because infection from ash dieback is seasonal, we have a window of opportunity to further develop our plans to mitigate its impact."

The newly recorded infected sites are at East Kilbride, Lesmahagow and Leadhills in South Lanarkshire, and Scone in Perthshire, a Scottish Government spokesman said later.

The infected sites already known about are at Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway, Carrbridge in the Highlands, Blairgowrie in Perthshire, Montrose in Angus, Eyemouth in the Borders, near Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire and at a private nursery in Moray.

SNP MSP Maureen Watt, who raised the topic in the Scottish Parliament chamber, also voiced concerns about the possibility of Scots pine becoming diseased.

She said: "Given that it would appear that the UK Government may not have released their advice in relation to the vulnerability of ash trees as speedily as they could have done and that there's now speculation that a threat could exist to our iconic Scots pines, what information and advice can the First Minister give to those concerned about their potential susceptibility?"

Mr Salmond said trials of forest management techniques and chemical treatments are under way to help manage any risk posed to the trees by the disease. He said: "We're doing everything we can as a government to protect the Scots pine species which is truly iconic in Scotland."