York's Moorlands nature reserve hit by deadly Ash Dieback disease

The disease - caused by a fungus which has been spreading across the UK for more than 10 years - has infected a group of ash trees next to a footpath at Moorlands nature reserve.

Ash dieback makes trees very brittle as they die – meaning that limbs or large branches can fall off.

To ensure there is no risk to visitors from falling branches the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which runs Moorlands, says it has taken the ‘difficult decision’ to close the reserve while it cuts down the trees nearest to the path.

The reserve will be closed to the public on August 8 and 9 while the work is done.

Dave Powell, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s reserve manager for Moorlands, said, “This is a devastating disease for ash trees across the UK.

“Safety is paramount to our visitors and colleagues, which means we have taken the difficult decision to close the reserve and bring down the trees closest to the path.”

Because there are other nationally rare and significant tree and plant species in the reserve, the wildlife trust says it will be working with specialist contractors and a tree harvesting machine, which can safely dismantle and lower the trees down.

It plans to leave as much of the original ash trees as possible for wildlife.

Timber from the felled trees is usually left in place to rot naturally and provide habitat and food, and the material from the canopies in Moorlands will be used to create “dead hedges” to line the footpath edges to keep people to the paths and protect the woodland floor.

The remaining trees further from the path will be left to die naturally and eventually fall safely.

Dave added: “We know what Moorlands means to our many visitors, so we want this to be a minimal disruption. People will notice the gaps in the canopy after the work has been completed but over time the treetops will flourish again. Our other veteran trees including oak and sycamore thankfully remain unaffected.”

Some trees affected by ash dieback die within two years. Others, however, can take up to 10 years or more to die, and outward signs that they are infected are difficult to spot.

The fungus kills off the canopy of the ash tree, preventing the tree from building energy from the leaves to grow, which causes the timber to become very brittle.

“As a result, an infected tree is unlikely to fall like a traditional felled tree but instead can lose large limbs or fall entirely without warning,” Dave said.

It’s not possible to stop the spread of the disease due to its widespread nature in the UK, the Yorkshire wildlife Trust said, but people can report concerns to the Forestry Commission’s Tree Alert.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust says safely removing trees killed by ash dieback on reserves across Yorkshire costs it thousands every year.

You can help to support the Trust’s reserves work by joining its 45,000-strong membership community or with a donation at www.ywt.org.uk.