This article is from page 12 of the 2013-11-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
THE number of instances of ash dieback in Clare has more than doubled over the last six months with Clare trees now the third most infected in Ireland.
According to figures obtained from the Department of Agriculture, a total of seven positive cases of ash dieback, or Chalara fraxinea, have been recorded in Clare so far this year – up from just three cases in May.
There is currently no information available as to the exact nature and location of these outbreaks, which could be isolated trees in hedgerows or large plantations that could involve the culling of dozens or hundreds of trees.
Coincidentally, strong hurling counties have, to date, been hit hardest by ash die back. The last three All Ireland hurling champions – Clare, Kilkenny and Tipperary – have the three highest instances of ash die back in Ireland.
The Department of Agriculture has declined to give exact details of the location of infected trees in Clare and other counties. This follows confusion earlier this year when the department appeared to release contradictory information about the location of infected trees in Clare.
The March of this year, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that there were two infected areas in Clare – one each in Lisdoonvarna and Scariff. However, two months later, the department released updated information which showed that there were then three infected sites in Clare; in Lisdoonvarna, Newmarket on Fergus and Clarecastle. The Clare People contacted the department in May in relation to the status of the Scariff outbreak but did not receive a response. Indeed, no further update on the spread of the disease was released by the department until earlier this month.
In the most recent update, the department has declined to give any information about the location of the infected trees within each county – and they have not given any information about the nature of each outbreak.
This is in contrast to the department’s handling of the situation earlier this year.
“There are now three confirmed findings in County Clare. One is a private forest plantation, one is in a private garden and the other, latest finding, is roadside planting. The private garden tree has been cleared and destroyed and the other two sites are under eradication,” said a department spokesperson in May.