The pro-active felling of these Ash trees due to Ash Dieback was carried out by DRL Tree Care. This outbreak of Chalara was discovered recently in the village of Goldsborough, near knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
There were approximately 50 trees all told, each in various stages of decline due to Ash Dieback disease. Some of these trees posed more threat than others, with some of the worse affected being located on the boundary of the client’s property. In addition, many of these dying and therefore dangerous trees were adjacent to the main highway. Due to how brittle Ash trees with Ash dieback disease can become, it was of vital importance to remove any trees causing a potential hazard to road users at the earliest convenience.
BEST PRACTICE FOR THE FELLING OF ASH TREES WITH ASH DIEBACK
Although some of the trees were less affected than others, the owner had decided to take a pro-active approach by removing all affected trees. There is currently no known cure or treatment for chalara Ash dieback disease. Therefore the best current practice as endorsed by Forest Research, is to fell all affected trees with the aim of slowing the spread of the disease. The felling of these Ash trees has been carried out with a view to re-planting with suitable replacement trees throughout the property.
As there were a large number of trees to be removed, larger machinery was brought in to assist with the handling of the timber and brushwood. As well as making it less labour intensive for the staff, it also meant the job could be carried out at a far quicker pace. This ultimately meant less time on site and the least amount of disruption to our client as possible.
The unfortunate spread of Chalara Ash dieback disease appears to be increasing throughout Yorkshire. Whilst some areas still remain largely unaffected, it is important to monitor the condition of your Ash trees on a regular basis. The Tree Council have published a useful identification guide for Ash dieback disease which can be found here.
What to do if I find suspected Chalara on my trees?
Depending on the severity of the infection and the location of the tree you should first and foremost have it assessed by a professional tree surgeon. Putting off the removal of a tree for financial or other reasons might be tempting, but could potentially open you up to more expenses further down the line. For example, a tree in the latter stages of Ash dieback may require specialist equipment to remove it, such as a cherry picker or crane.
