Urgent Work Underway To Remove Diseased Ash Trees In Brighton Woodland

Urgent work is taking place to remove dead and diseased ash trees from a woodland in Brighton, after the area was deemed unsafe.

Brighton and Hove City Council says the trees are being removed due to ash dieback, a disease that has affected the UK for more than a decade.

The council acknowledged that tree removal can be upsetting for residents but said the work is necessary to protect public safety.

Trees were inspected before work began, with large ash trees that appear to be resisting the disease being left in place.

Where possible, trunks and stumps will remain to create habitats for wildlife.

Councillor Alan Robins, the cabinet member responsible for parks, said thinning the woodland could also help limit the spread of the disease.

The council’s arboriculture manager, Peter Small, said the number of dead trees meant the area had become dangerous, adding that while the work may look severe, it is essential to keep people safe.

Ash dieback is caused by a fungus believed to have originated in Asia.

It spreads through spores that can travel long distances and eventually block a tree’s water systems, causing it to die.

Scientists estimate only around five per cent of ash trees develop any tolerance, with the South East among the worst affected areas in the country.

The council says once the tree felling is complete, work will begin to improve the woodland footpath.

The project is being funded by a grant from the South Downs National Park Authority.