Larch Removal Benmore

RBGE has a legal requirement to comply with a Statutory plant health notice which has been issued by Scottish Forestry. The notice identifies that Phytophthora ramorum has spread to the larch trees at Benmore. (Appendix 7 STH22_0957a SPGN) The notice requires the removal of Larch trees from Benmore Botanic Garden. Due to the geographic topology and the requirement to protect the scientific plant collection of Benmore Botanic Garden, forestry style commercial harvesting will not be possible. The removal of trees will need to be undertaken by a combination of manual chainsaw operations and aerial arboriculture. Commercial harvesting equipment will have limited access. Felled trees will need to be removed from site for sale or disposal subject to controls of the Statutory plant health notice. The outcome of this piece of work will be removal of approximately 300 larch trees by July 2026 in compliance with the SPHN.