Ministers are considering the cull in order to create a buffer
zone as they fear the Chalara dieback of ash is here to stay.
There are now 49 sites in Scotland where the ash dieback has
been identified, largely in the south and east, as those areas
have exposed to the spore of the disease blowing across from the
continent. The zone would run diagonally across Scotland from
the Moray Firth to the Clyde to create a sheltered area to the
west. It is hoped that, while some more areas will be affected
in the next five years, the sheltered area could remain disease-
free for up to 20 years, allowing new approaches to be
developed. Statutory action is being considered which would
require the removal or killing of all recently planted ash trees
on any infected sites in both the buffer and sheltered areas.
Actions could include uprooting or cutting the trees before
burning and deep burial, spraying the stumps or chemi-cally
injecting standing trees. All options were discussed at a tree
health summit in Edinburgh yester