People urged to help prevent ‘devastating’ disease infecting Eastbourne trees

Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) said the fungal disease is transmitted by beetles that eat through infected bark and pass on the fungus as they move from tree to tree.

The council said it felled 37 diseased elms on Eastbourne streets, two in Ocklynge Cemetery and 15 from private properties in the town, and a further 11 elm trees have had branches removed in an effort to save them.

EBC’s Jonathan Dow said, “This is the worst start to the growing season for many years and it is hugely disappointing as we continue to lose many of our wonderful elms.

“While the reasons are not yet fully clear, we do know that keeping elm timber creates a breeding ground for the destructive bark beetles that carry the deadly fungus. So if anyone knows of stored elm timber or dead elms in a garden, please let us know.”

Millions of trees across the country were lost to Dutch elm disease in the 1970s but some survived along the south coast as they were protected by their positioning between the English Channel and the South Downs, according to the council.

In December, the council launched a wide-scale felling operation to tackle the airborne fungus ash dieback which had killed thousands of the town’s trees.

Meanwhile, the council has said it supports a number of initiatives including tree planting in Tugwell Park this autumn and is working closely with Eastbourne EcoAction Network volunteers to plant more trees.

Councillor Dow said, “We expect hundreds of trees to be planted across the town over the next 12 months and are choosing species that are resilient and indigenous to create sustainable tree populations for the future.

“While it is always disheartening to have to fell trees, we are working hard with residents’ groups and charities on planting schemes that will keep our town looking green and healthy, and help off-set carbon emissions.”

The council asked the public to let them know of any cases where elm timber is stored by emailing [email protected]

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.