Brighton and Hove City Council is set to launch its annual inoculation programme to protect thousands of historic trees from elm disease.
To combat a further serious outbreak of fungal disease amongst the endangered tree species, the council has committed to immunising 1,400 elms in May using the DutchTrig vaccine.
Amongst the 17,000 elms in Brighton and Hove, mature elms or those with historic value will be prioritised in receiving the biological non-toxic vaccine which has no ill effect on animals or people.
Cllr Alan Robins, cabinet member responsible for trees, said: ‘We carefully select important areas of the city where we know inoculations will have the greatest effect’.
‘Brighton & Hove is blessed with a beautiful collection of elms – and it’s vital we do everything we can to try and safeguard their future’, he added.
The 2-week inoculation process will protect the city’s elms against the deadly disease for another year, limiting the use of felling to desperate circumstances.
