Campsie safety warning for visitors
With felling work to remove diseased trees in Campsie Glen starting w/c Dec 14th , local residents and visitors are being urged by Forestry and Land Scotland to heed all safety signage and follow the ‘Keep it Clean’ biosecurity advice.
The site is one of several sites across Scotland that was recently confirmed as having Phytophthora ramorum – commonly referred to as P. ramorum – which attacks and kills larch trees.
The disease that can’t be eradicated and the only way to slow its rate of spread is to fell the infected trees and those surrounding them.
Ben Quarcoo, FLS operations manager for the FLS team in the area, said;
“The felling work is being done as a matter of urgency in a bid to slow the spread of this disease to other, uninfected woodlands.
“It’s all being done manually - without the use of heavy machinery – so visitors will need to be extra vigilant and follow the safety signage and take the advice of the banksmen that will be in place to keep visitors safe and away from the work areas.
“The felling is also being done within the woodland and away from the paths so it’s really important that for their own safety everyone sticks to the mown paths and doesn’t wander off in to the woods. It’s very easy to misjudge distances and to suddenly find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“We’re also asking that people follow our ‘Keep it Clean’ advice and take a few minutes to brush or wipe off boots, bike wheels, tent pegs and even your dog’s paws before and after a visit to the Campsie Glen.”
Although the affected larch at the site are in the forest away from paths and the forest road, there is still a potential risk that mud and forest debris that might carry the spores that cause the disease can be picked up on shoes, paws and tyres.
Taking a few minutes to clean off can help prevent the spores being carried to new forests where the disease can spread rapidly in environments with no natural resilience.
Ben added;
“Everyone working together to adopt new habits will have a positive impact on our forests, help to slow the spread of tree pests and diseases and buy the time to research and develop other actions that we can take to ensure the long term health of our woodlands.”
Ben, who is managing the operation with his team and contractors, is hoping the get all Larch trees felled and localised on site. This will help contain and minimise the rate of spread of the disease from the area and create restocking space.
Felling is expected to last until the end of February 2021.
Notes to editors
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Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 0131 370 5059 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot