Government response

Myth bust: The Telegraph claims public to be banned from woodlands

The myth:  The Telegraph allege that the public could be banned from British forests and woodland as a result of the ash tree disease, chalara…

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 31 October 2012

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The myth:  The Telegraph allege that the public could be banned from British forests and woodland as a result of the ash tree disease, chalara fraxinea.

The truth: There are no plans to stop public access to forests and woodland as there is a very low risk of people transmitting the disease from area to area.  The public can still help by cleaning their boots, tyres or horses’ hooves after being in woodland areas affected by chalara fraxinea. More information is available at www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara.

Published 31 October 2012