Foot & Mouth Disease - Effect on Field Trips and Other Countryside Based Activities

As yet the University has not formally adopted a complete ban on field trips and similar activities, as has been the case at a number of other Higher Education institutions including Glasgow and Aberdeen. Current policy is to permit a combination of departmental expertise and basic common sense to advise what are often difficult decisions for all concerned. However, clearly visits must not take place within infected areas as defined by the MAFF.

The seriousness of the potential risk to farming and wildlife should not be underestimated and in areas outwith those confirmed by the MAFF as currently infected, every precaution should be taken to avoid the risk of spreading the disease further. Postponement or cancellation of all non-essential visits to rural areas of the UK should be a matter of policy.

No student or staff member on a University arranged field trip should be permitted to enter farm premises, or to use footpaths or tracks where signs have been placed advising against entry. Under no circumstances should students or staff come into direct contact with livestock or wildlife, even if approached for food. Nor should they enter or cross any land which is currently, or has recently been, grazed by livestock susceptible to the disease, including sheep, cattle, deer, and a number of other species as notified on the MAFF website.

In travelling by vehicle or on foot, parties and individuals must stay on adopted roads only, and where roads are across open unfenced moorland or farmland, they should not stop or leave their vehicles but drive through and make use of any disinfectant (usually straw) mats left across the way to avoid spreading disease on car tyres, boots etc.

Where fieldwork is considered essential, it may be possible to rearrange activities to take place within an urban environment and this is encouraged, particularly where formal assessment of field work is involved.

In coming to a decision on individual cases, staff are advised to consult proposed host farmers and landowners whose land will be entered or crossed, which may be individuals or local branches of agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage or the Forestry Commission, and Tourist Information Centres. Many of these already have a blanket ban on access and this must be respected.

If the net effect of these restrictions is to make a field trip unviable, or if it is not considered essential, then caution must be the order of the day and cancellation or postponement seriously considered. In such cases, it is understood that the University insurers will honour claims for cancellation of transport bookings, without excess, due to "circumstances beyond the institution's control" of this kind.

The MAFF website advice on the crisis is the key port of call for up to date information on infected areas and national guidelines. This may be accessed at http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/default.htm

The University does not wish to be prescriptive, but it may be necessary to adopt stricter controls (ie a complete ban on field work by students and staff, including individual research work) in the event that the crisis worsens.

Ms A Douglas
Secretary's Office
12 March 2001