Is the new Environment Minster Owen Patterson dead in the water?

The Tory lead coalitions blood-sport's fanatical new Environment Minister Owen Patterson who has wasted no time in colluding with British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC), whose hobby shooters have apparently been lining up to take part in the badger killing spree just cancelled until next summer; what a bloody summer that will be!

But what about the major storm in his department, namely the Ash dieback which will change the English countryside forever.

Has Mr Patterson taken his eye of the tree problem in favor of keeping his fellow blood sports friends happy?
His predecessor Caroline Spelman was also mortally wounded early on in the job with the proposed forest sell off so has history repeated itself so soon?

It was interesting to note that the following biosecurity advice to help halt the spread of Ash dieback from the Forestry Commission and it includes:

• Where possible, before leaving the woodland, clean soil, mud, leaves and other plant material from footwear, clothing, dogs, the wheels and tyres of bicycles, baby buggies, carriages and other vehicles; 
• Remove any leaves which are sticking to your car;
• Before visiting other countryside sites, parks, garden centres and nurseries, thoroughly wash footwear, wheels and tyres in soapy water;

However Fox hunts are being allowed to carry on totally unaffected by these measures!

Now anyone who has ever see a hunt in action will know that with up to fifty hounds transversing wood to wood with mounted riders and a convoy of 4 x 4 vehicles resulting in  both farm livestock and wildlife being scared out of there lives. This is a true recipe for the perturbation effect with the badgers and the spread of the Ash dieback fungus.
But a hunting they will go and go on regardless of the consequences. “The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable” is the correct line to use in these circumstances!