Around 1,400 trees across Brighton and Hove, Sussex, will be inoculated next month with an organic, non-toxic control agent to protect them against elm disease. According to the city council, the treatment has been designed to safeguard the trees for the next twelve months. The authority, which has been working for over three years to protect its historic elms, will expand its programme to target a wider area following a higher-than-usual outbreak last year that led to the felling of 30 trees, threatening over a third of its 17,000-strong elm population.
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Councillor Alan Robins, cabinet member responsible for trees, described the situation as an “ongoing battle” and emphasised the importance of carefully selecting significant areas for inoculation. “We carefully select important areas of the city where inoculations will have the greatest effect – especially for protecting some of the older and historically significant elms we have,” he said. The council has reiterated that tree felling is carried out only as a last resort; however, some residents have criticised the environmental disruption caused, particularly after 150 ash and elm trees were felled earlier this year due to urgent safety concerns.
Concerns about the impact on wildlife were raised by local residents such as John Marten of Hollingbury, who expressed fears about the lack of a felling licence and potential harm to protected species. However, Councillor Robins rejected these claims, affirming that all works comply with wildlife legislation and are conducted in liaison with the Forestry Commission. He also confirmed that replanting efforts are ongoing, with plans to introduce more trees across the city to restore affected areas.
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The upcoming inoculation, using a biological vaccine called DutchTrig, will be carried out during the first two weeks of May. The vaccine, which contains a type of fungus to trigger a defensive response against the elm bark beetle, is harmless to people and animals. While it cannot prevent the disease’s spread through root systems, it is expected to significantly bolster defences in key locations such as Old Steine, Pavilion Gardens, Victoria Gardens, and The Level, with new areas like Queen’s Park, Hove Park, and Wish Park added to the protection scheme. Residents are urged to remain vigilant when sourcing firewood, ensuring that no elm is used, to prevent further spread of the disease.
