It has been confirmed by the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson that the disease will not be able to be eradicated from the countryside. Efforts are now being focused on slowing the spread of the disease and encouraging resistance to it. Mature trees – which are important for wildlife – are being left whilst younger diseased trees would be cut down and destroyed. They are trying to locate trees with a genetic resistance that might survive in areas that have not yet been affected in an attempt to restructure the woodlands so that they are more resistant to the disease.
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