Thousands of diseased trees risk being felled
FOUND IN 250
THOUSANDS of trees are at a risk of being felled over the next decade because of the spread of a fungal disease, Leicester City Council has warned.
A recent inspection at Gorse Hill Spinney, off Anstey Lane, found ash dieback has infected 250 trees.
Work will begin next week to remove the trees from the woodland – which has already lost 50 per cent of its forest canopy to the disease.
While there is no evidence the disease can infect humans or animals, there is a safety risk from dead or dying trees falling or dropping branches.
Dave Jones, Leicester City Council’s trees and woodlands manager, said 25,120 ash trees are being monitored by the council.
“Ash dieback is a highly destructive fungal disease that shuts down the tree’s vascular system and progressively kills it,” he said.
“As the ash dieback fungus infects the tree, its branches gradually die back, become brittle and break apart – with falling branches representing a significant risk to the public.
“We’re systematically monitoring the 25,120 ash trees in our ownership but there’s nothing we can do to stop the disease from spreading, other than by removing infected and dangerous trees”.
“Over the coming months and years, my team – like everyone else who’s responsible for ash trees across Europe and the UK – will have the heartbreaking task of felling hundreds of ash trees that have succumbed to this disease.
“The impact of ash dieback will be devastating, particularly here in Leicester, where ash trees are so common”.
Ash dieback arrived in Europe from Asia in the 1990s and rapidly spread. Fungal spores can be blown tens of miles.
Councillor Adam Clarke, deputy mayor for the environment, said: “Tragically, ash dieback will cause even greater damage to the nation’s landscape than the outbreak of Dutch elm disease in the 1960s and 70s – and it won’t be easy to prepare ourselves for the loss of so many trees.
“Our priority will be to remove the infected ash trees whose brittle branches represent the greatest risk to public safety – and this will require significant resources in the short to medium-term.
“Once that risk has been dealt with, we’ll be committed to developing a long-term recovery plan.”