Is there anything the public can do to help prevent or minimise its spread, and are you restricting public access to infected areas?
Access is only being restricted while trees are being felled, which is normal practice for health and safety reasons. We still welcome visitors to all of our forests, but the public can help us to prevent or minimise the spread of the disease. Forest visitors will be advised by local signage of the most appropriate course of action to take in each case. Ways in which they might be asked to help prevent the spread of the disease include: • keeping to marked paths; • keeping dogs on short leads; • not removing any plant material, such as cuttings, from the woodland; • removing soil and mud from boots and shoes before leaving the woodland; and • thoroughly washing boots, shoes and bicycle wheels before visiting other areas. Disinfecting footwear or tyres is also recommended.
