The Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Foot & Mouth Outbreak

Mountaineers will be aware that an outbreak of foot and mouth disease has been detected on farms in south-east England. Many will remember the chaos brought by the restrictions during the previous outbreak in 2001, and the effects on the outdoors and tourism industries.

Lessons were learned in the aftermath of that outbreak, and it is now generally recognised that the risk of walkers and climbers spreading the virus outside an infected area is negligible. Accordingly, there is no reason to modify plans or stay away from the outdoors in the current situation. The access provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 still apply.

latest:
All Foot & Mouth restriction are planned to be lifted in Scotland from 17th October as long as the situation in Surry does not change in the interim.
Details can be read in this press release.

DEFRA says the countryside is open     full details

Advice from the Scottish Government     click here

MCofS supports efforts to prevent spread of Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) while maintaining minimal disruption to access. The following note is an update based on statements by the Government Chief Vet and Scottish Government FMD Helpline.

Some land owning interests have expressed concern about the biosecurity risk posed by walkers and other access takers during the current FMD outbreak. The response to a Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA) enquiry to the government Chief Vet was that members of the public coming from urban areas to walk pose a negligible risk.

There is a hierarchy of risk which is taken into account in deciding on restrictions and possible relaxations as follows (in decreasing order):

  • livestock
  • livestock vehicles, farm tractors and machinery (including 4x4s from farms)
  • other equipment used in connection with handling or other livestock related procedures, such as sheep shearing, dipping
  • hay and straw
  • livestock handlers' boots and clothing
  • vehicles used by non-farming visitors
  • non-farming walkers

For this reason, walkers and other access users coming from non-farm locations are considered to be a very low risk to spread of disease. In discussions with the Scottish Government helpline, I was informed that access users should follow any land manger requests to use disinfectant baths supplied by the land owners. A request is more likely if the access user has had contact with farm animals or has arrived from the disease surveillance zone in Surrey. In the latter case, their vehicles should be disinfected even if they are not taking their vehicles onto land. The general advice remains that access users should ensure they do not approach or touch farm animals. Bicycle wheels should also be disinfected.

Hebe Carus
Access & Conservation Officer
24 sept 07

The MCofS will continue to monitor the situation. Meantime, detailed up to date information can be obtained from the links in the box above.

Review of the 2001 outbreak:

This page is part of the old website of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.
To visit the new website, click on
www.mcofs.org.uk

[ Home ] [ News ] [ Safety and Training ] [ Access and Conservation ] [ Sports Development ] [ Council Matters ]
[ Search ] [ Info Service ] [ Membership ] [ Publications ] [ Newsletters ] [ Links ]

© The Mountaineering Council of Scotland