Issue - meetings

41.1     The Environment Team Manager introduced the report. This is an update of the report brought to the Committee in March 2013, when the Committee endorsed the prioritised approach to managing Dutch Elm Disease (DED). The original scientific model, upon which the prioritised approach is based, is included in appendix 1 of the report.

41.2     The analysis of the scientific model looked at 3 options to manage Dutch Elm Disease:

·        Stopping felling of dead or diseased trees.

·        Continuing with the established (historic) felling programme.

·        Taking a prioritised approach to sanitation felling of dead or diseased trees.

The recommendation was that East Sussex adopts the prioritised approach to managing Dutch Elm Disease.

41.3     The Dutch Elm Disease strategy has been updated in the light of experience over the last two years (appendix 2 of the report). The prioritised approach appears to be working. The data from the last two years confirms that the assumptions used in the model are broadly correct. The cost of felling dead and diseased trees to date has been higher than forecast, but costs are expected to fall in future years. There are some uncertainties in the future such as the impact of climate change on the way the disease spreads.

41.4     The Committee discussed a number of aspects of the report, which are summarised below.

Scope of the Dutch Elm Disease Management Scheme

41.5     The Dutch Elm Disease strategy covers the whole Elm population within the designated DED sanitation zone of East Sussex and not just those trees growing on East Sussex County Council (ESCC) owned land or on land that is part of the highway. An analysis of activity over the last two years shows that most trees felled are on private land.

41.6     Regionally ESCC is not the only organisation that has a programme for dealing with Dutch Elm Disease.

·        Brighton and Hove City Council has a control programme;

·        Adur District Council has a small control programme; and

·        Eastbourne Borough Council has a control programme for street trees, which it manages on behalf of ESCC.

41.7     The Dutch Elm Disease Officer inspects all Elm trees within the control zone twice a year. One of the priorities in the next two years is to re-survey the Elm tree population. The resources for the survey work will come from existing officer time.

Size of Elm Tree Population

41.8     The size of the Elm tree population is estimated to be 18,500. The department considers this to be a reasonably accurate estimate. The majority of trees are on private land and ESCC is responsible for Highway trees growing in verges, pavements and alongside roads. The Dutch Elm Disease Officer is getting access to private land through good working relationships with landowners, and also works closely with tree contractors.

Cost of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) Strategy

41.9     Dealing with Dutch Elm Disease is an open ended programme, and the report provides cost estimates of the various options. The cost of felling trees varies depending on where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41