East Anglia planting scheme to beat Ash Dieback fungus

East Anglia is spearheading the fight to beat Ash Dieback fungus with a planting scheme designed to develop resistance against the disease.

Forests in Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent and Essex are among the worst affected, and the disease has now spread to woodland and nurseries across the UK, according to the Forestry Commission.

Several strains of ash tree are being planted at different sites across East Anglia in a bid to find resistant varieties.

Forest Research, part of the Forestry Commission, is leading the project to plant 250,000 trees on land donated by farmers, charities or councils.