§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in theOfficial Report the research studies currently being undertaken by the Forestry Commission into forest damage in the United Kingdom.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe commission's research division undertakes a wide range of studies on damage to forest, landscape and amenity trees throughout Great Britain. On the assumption that the hon. Member is interested in the possible effects of air pollution in particular, the following studies are in hand at present
survey of the crown condition of Scots pine, Norway spruce, Sitka spruce, oak and beechgrid survey (in accordance with EEC Regulation 3528/86) of crown condition of species located at grid intersection pointsstudy of extension growth of beech over several decades across Southern Englandstudy of the occurrence of crown dieback of hedgerow ash in England in relation to adjacent agricultural land use study of reduced growth Sitka spruce in the South Wales Coalfieldsurvey jointly commissioned with the Nature Conservancy Council of beech crown condition and Scots pine growth in Southern Englandstudies of the growth and physiology of seedling and clonal stock of major tree species in large open-top chamber experiments at two sites in England and one in Scotlandstudy of responses of 6 biomonitors (4 trees, 2 herbaceous species) to ambient pollutants at 62 sites in Southern England