Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Re your front page article on ash dieback (November 8). No-one doubts this is a serious problem and, given that most ash trees have lost their leaves already, the recent Forestry Commission survey finding seven infected sites in Scotland is bound to be under-estimating the scale of the problem.
However, suggesting people rush to cash in on their trees before the disease takes them can only have one inevitable consequence. Everyone with a chainsaw will suddenly put up their day rates, a glut of timber will depress prices, anyone with ash trees on their ground will be massively out of pocket and chances are the harvesting activity will just hasten the spread of the disease.
This disease will not progress significantly between now and next summer, although we will quickly learn a lot more about the likely extent of it. Government has time to put a strategy in place.
The vast majority of ash trees are either small diameter or are in relatively inaccessible native woodlands, often in steep gorges or high up on scree slopes. It would be completely impractical or uneconomic to fell many of these. If the disease is already too far gone and these trees cannot be accessed, then they are just going to have to be left to die.
In this scenario, with the disease already out of control, the Government needs to remove the threat of the £5000 fine for owners not reporting the disease, otherwise this will just generate millions of pounds’ worth of needless tree-felling activity. The only trees we need to fell are those which cause a public safety issue.
The disease may still be containable. We need to await more information and every day adds a great deal to our knowledge.
However, it could be a real tragedy for our countryside and rural economy, but what we don’t want, or need, is people creating panic so they can milk the situation.
Victor Clements.Native Woodland Advice,1 Crieff Road,Aberfeldy.
Why is tree disease such a problem now?
Sir, – The dieback disease afflicting our ash trees is extremely sad but I cannot be alone in wanting to know the answer to several important questions, answers which have not yet been given.
What happens if afflicted tress are just left standing? Can they recover or not?
Is there no remedy at all, either known or being developed?
Why would mass felling of healthy trees be a benefit, other than to timber merchants and allied trades?
Why can the wood from affected trees not be used for timber?
Some of these questions assume that there is nothing that can be done to prevent the spread of this disease anyway.
My final query is: Where did the disease arise and why, after centuries, is it only now becoming a problem?’
David Grant.No 2 Balintore Cottage,Balintore,Kirriemuir.
War memorials research
Sir, – Re the recent interest in war memorials, readers may like to know that the family history group of Broughty Ferry New Kirk researched the names on the WWI and II memorials of the former East Church and St Aidan’s, formerly Broughty Ferry Parish Church – 97 names, with details of their families, schooling, work and war service, as well as details of death and burial where available.
The youngest five died aged just 18. Poppy crosses in their honour are placed in the Garden of Remembrance at 370 Queen Street and the records are available to see this and every Sunday, including the Service of Remembrance this Sunday at 10.50am.
The congregation would be delighted to have copies of photographs of these men, and information to fill in a few of the details still blank.
Rev Catherine Collins.25 Ballinard Gardens,Broughty Ferry.
Refining the question
Sir, – Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?
Do you agree that you should eat five portions of vegetables per day?
Do you agree there should be more policemen on the beat?
It is possible to eliminate the unspoken assumptions behind the modal verb ”should” – the time and effort and determination to prepare the vegetables in the first case and the willingness to pay extra taxes in the second.
So, I suggest, if the question has to have a ”should” in it that it reads: Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country and accept the consequences?
Albert A’Hara.21 Rockfield Street,Dundee.
A dancer and choreographer
Sir, – I read with interest your obituary regarding the stage performer Desmond Carroll. I seem to recall that he was a dancer and choreographer who appeared many times at the Palace Theatre in the mid to late Fifties. He also worked in a duo with fellow dancer Betty Bright.
I do hope that my recollections are correct. Anyone who remembers the Johnny Victory Variety Shows would have seen Desmond.
Jim Balneaves.4 Tayside Place,Glencarse,Perth.