Damages sought after island trees ‘poisoned’

The owners of an island on Loch Lomond are threatening to sue Scotland’s national conservation body for £150,000 in damages amid claims the agency poisoned and killed hundreds of beech trees without permission.

The owners of Inchtavannach island, Luss Estates, claim the location has been left looking like a “wasteland” after a botched operation by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

They are now demanding SNH covers the cost of felling the dead trees that are still standing, describing them as a “major eyesore” in one of the nation’s most well known beauty spots.

In 2013, SNH agreed to fell a number of beech trees that posed a threat to the island’s oak woodland – but landowners claim it later took the “unauthorised” decision to poison them without consultation.

Simon Miller, chief executive of Luss Estates, said SNH had behaved “recklessly” and had then “dragged its feet” by refusing to fell the dead trees. An SNH spokeswoman said: “We are disappointed to have received this claim as our staff continue to work closely with Luss Estates to find workable solutions to tackling the problems with non-native trees on Inchtavannach.”