Ash dieback

Ash tree felling Caerleon Rd 3_October 2020

Current ash dieback works

Heidenheim Drive (A4042)

Newport City Council will be carrying out safety works on Heidenheim Drive (A4042) from Monday 5th February.

The works are to remove trees which have been affected by ash dieback disease.

Any diseased tree will be removed with replacement trees planted. An ecologist will check the site before work commences and perform regular checks throughout the work to ensure no habitats are disturbed.

The work is taking place on the northbound side of the road. One lane of the northbound carriageway will be closed throughout the works, so delays may occur in this area.

The work starts from just south of the junction for Crindau and Sainsburys, continuing to just north of the Grove Park roundabout.

The work is scheduled to run until Friday 16th February. We apologise in advance for any delays or inconvenience caused by this work.

 

Ash dieback disease is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineuspreviously called Chalara fraxinea.

Ash dieback is predicted to infect almost 80 per cent of ash trees in the UK and has already led to the removal of trees in Newport.

What does Ash dieback look like?

Ash dieback has a mushroom-like fruiting body that grows on infected ash tree leaf litter, bursting open in summer and releasing thousands of spores into the air, infecting healthy ash trees. 

Visit Forest Research for more information, including how to recognise the disease or visit the Woodland Trust website

Managing Ash dieback in Newport

All council-owned trees are surveyed to monitor their health and to identify any trees that may be unhealthy or pose a risk.

As part of these surveys we now identify and monitor Ash trees for signs of Ash dieback and will arrange to have badly infected trees felled to prevent accidents.

Some large areas of Ash trees will be felled with a significant impact on  local wooded areas.

The council has a policy of planting two trees for every tree cut down on land it is responsible for, so any felled Ash trees will be replaced with other suitable trees.

You can help halt the spread of Ash dieback by:

  • Cleaning your shoes after visiting a wooded area
  • Not taking cuttings or plant material from the countryside
  • Washing car or bike wheels to remove any plant matter or mud

Report Ash dieback

If you spot a tree with Ash dieback in a public place please report it as you would any other dangerous tree.

Report a tree with suspected Ash dieback

Or email [email protected]

Information for tree owners

Land owners have a legal duty of care and must maintain their trees in a reasonably safe condition. 

If you have an Ash tree on your property we recommend that you get a tree surgeon to check for signs of Ash dieback.

A tree that has signs of the disease and is located where it could cause damage to persons or property should be removed. 

You must ensure that all necessary consents are in place before felling a tree, seeking guidance from a tree surgeon or tree consultant.  

Further information

Welsh Government - Ash dieback leaflet (pdf)

Natural Resources Wales - Tree Health 

Woodland Trust - Ash dieback 

Forest Research - Ash dieback 

Common sense risk management of trees

Contact

Email [email protected] with any queries.

TRA122256 14/07/2020