Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has announced a public information event on the proposed felling plans for forests in the Lochgoilhead area.

FLS' local team is having to manage several Statutory Plant Health Notices (SPHN's), that require

trees affected by the disease, Phtyophthora Ramorum, to be felled before the disease has a chance to move on to another location.

The disease affects several species but has its most severe impact on Larch, often killing the trees.

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The local FLS team expect that more SPHN's will be issued by Scottish Forestry over the summer months.

Jamie Howie, Planning Forester for FLS, said: "This disease has been decimating larch trees in Scotland for about a decade and has slowly been making its way up the west coast.

"There is no cure for it and the only means we have of trying to protect larch elsewhere is to fell affected trees before the disease has a chance to move on.

"Anyone who comes along will be able to look at maps showing the location and distribution of Larch in the forests around Loch Goil and talk to our staff to get an idea of what to expect in the next five years in terms of the extent and location of felling work."

The finalised proposal will include elements of felling that are in line with SPHN requirements, as well as elements of pre-emptive felling and will be submitted to regulatory body, Scottish Forestry, for approval.