Over 15,000 Ash trees are dying on Norfolk roads, estates and houses which could become a national issue, as they will need management over the next 10 years. The disease known as Chalara causes leaf loss and dead branches on the top of the trees.
Council officers and experts warned that the situation of the dead and dying Ash trees could become a serious threat to human lives from falling branches and trunks.
There is an ongoing three year project that is assessing over 6,000 miles of roads and paths to establish the conditions of the Ash trees all over Norfolk.
Over 500 miles of highway have already been assessed and of 15,000 Ash trees studied, 2/3 are suffering the disease.
On Monday’s meeting, The Council stated “there should be a mindfulness of the costs, but it is important that we take this seriously as we could lose millions of trees. Also if nothing is done we could put people lives in danger due to risk of trees and branches falling on the roads.” The committee agreed on taking further action to prevent the disease from spreading and measurements should be taken from those already affected by it.
There are also plans to talk to tenants and educate them in an effort to help prevent the disease spreading through a website that will give feedback and important information to the people of the county.
Nick Atkinson, Woodland Trust Conservation Adviser said “There is the possibility that millions of ash trees may die, but now is the moment to do something, which is why we need to continue to map their location and the impact if they are lost”