Ash dieback measures announced
Short-term measures to deal with ash tree dieback have been announced by the Government, after a survey completed on Wednesday found the Chalara fraxinea fungus at 129 sites in Great Britain.
In a statement, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said newly-planted diseased trees and diseased trees in nurseries will be traced and destroyed, but mature trees would not be removed.
Mr Paterson outlined how the Government would deal with the crisis on BBC News this afternoon, saying: "Leave the mature trees standing but keep an absolute eagle eye out for those genetic strains that survive.
"But bear down on the disease in young trees and destroy them, pull together all of the advice we can, so those experts and organisations and nurseries that might be growing strong young stock.
"And again do research on the genetic strain and then looking ahead pull together a really radical plan on how we do begin to change the whole way we handle forests and protect our environment form these diseases which are so prevalent.”