Wepre Park pathways closed later this week while diseased trees are felled

Two paths in Wepre Park will be closed on Thursday while work takes place to remove several veteran ash trees.

Two trees on the corner of the lower footpath to Rosie Pond will be felled on January 12th, due to them being infected ash die back disease.

A third tree at the top of Stmapford Path will also be felled (see map below).

Ash dieback is a fungal pathogen that affects the UK’s native ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) and is likely to kill approximately 90% of them.

Ash dieback was first confirmed in Flintshire in 2015 and is now widespread affecting ash trees of all ages.

Young trees are usually killed over a period of several months whilst mature trees decline over several years.

Following initial infection by ash dieback mature trees are likely to be subject to secondary infection by other pathogens.

Mature trees may respond to the infection with dense clusters of leaf growth that mark the extremities of the live tree.

This dense growth can be likened to a cheerleader’s pom-pom and a clear symptom of ash dieback in a mature tree. Where the disease is fatal the dieback progresses until there is no foliage on the tree.

Although devastating ash dieback is not always fatal. Evidence from mainland Europe suggests that 10% of trees exhibit moderate tolerance and 1% to 2% have a high level of disease tolerance.