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Tree and woodland management and ash dieback

 

As a forest city the Telford Development Corporation (TDC) planted millions of trees in the 1960s/70s to green the industrial landscape as Telford New Town was developed. 

This wide scale planting included a range of slower growing and longer lived trees such as oak, beech, pine, ash and chestnut as well as fast growing nursery stock trees such as willow and poplar. The fast growing nursery stock were planted to provide large landscape trees as quickly as possible and to shelter the slower growing trees from the wind and heat to help them establish and take over. 

It was the intention of TDC to remove the nursery crop as the slower growing natives matured so that they had the space and light needed to thrive. This thinning was, however, never completed, and when TDC disbanded, the required funding for the future management of trees was not transferred to the council. There are an estimated 15 million trees in the borough. 

The council’s arboriculture and grounds maintenance teams have been managing Telford’s trees and woodlands since it was formed in 1998.

Watch this video of tree officer Matt explaining more about our approach to tree and woodland management.

Our aim is not to reduce the number of trees in the borough, rather to ensure an attractive, safe and healthy tree population that follows a ‘right tree in the right place for the right reason’ approach and provides sustainable and functional climate benefits for future generations. Overall, we aim to increase tree coverage as we create new wooded areas and plant more street trees as part of our climate change action plan.

Watch this video of tree officer Matt explaining more about our approach to tree and woodland management.

As well as general tree works, there is also the challenge of pests and diseases. Climate change is significantly affecting trees across the borough. The lack of cold winters has meant pests and diseases brought in from abroad have become established.

Watch this video explaining our approach for tackling ash dieback.

Ash dieback arrived in the UK in 2012 when an imported nursery tree from Asia brought the disease to these shores. It is expected that most ash trees will succumb to the disease with many dying and needing to be felled. In 2013, Telford and Wrekin recorded its first case. 

The disease is a particularly destructive and poses significant risk to tree safety. As diseased trees have increased risk of falling branches and collapse, trees affected will need to be felled as they decline for public safety reasons.

Ash trees are estimated to make up around 35% of the borough’s tree stock, so the potential loss of canopy cover would be considerable and must be considered likely. There would also be knock on effects to carbon sequestration abilities and ground water absorption levels. Natural regeneration and replacement planting with disease resistant natives will mitigate for the loss of ash trees.

Watch this video explaining our approach to tackling ash dieback.

Managing the disease will incur significant costs over an estimated 15 years to tackle the issue. Prior to the pandemic, there was an opportunity for councils to apply for Defra funding to manage the issue, but this was withdrawn after the first lockdown. The council is allocating additional funds in 2021 to monitor the health of our ash trees and undertake priority safety works. We are also continuing to work with our partners and explore alternative funding streams.

The fungus overwinters in leaf litter on the ground, particularly on ash leaf stalks. It produces small white fruiting bodies between July and October which release spores into the surrounding atmosphere. Local spread of up to tens of miles can be caused by the wind blowing spores of the fungus. They land on leaves, stick to and then penetrate into the leaf and beyond. The fungus then grows inside the tree, eventually blocking its water transport systems, causing it to die. Spread over longer distances is most likely to be through the movement of diseased ash plants.

The disease attacks ash trees quickly and there is currently no prevention or treatment available.

Our aim is to increase tree coverage in our borough, as trees help us to tackle the climate crisis and are a vital part of our commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Where trees are removed, we wait to see what natural regeneration comes in the gaps after a year before then looking to replant with disease resistant natives.

In addition to replacing lost trees, we also work with our partners to plant more trees. In 2020, we launched the Trees4TW scheme which gave 8,600 trees to local residents, schools and landowners, and in 2021 we announced plans for a new memorial tree garden for COVID-19 victims and key workers.

As well as helping to capture CO2, regulating summer temperatures, improving air quality and reducing noise, trees are an attractive asset that are vital for wildlife and people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. The protection of species such as birds and bats is paramount, and most tree works are done outside of bird nesting and bat roosting season, unless urgent, and in all cases ecology checks are undertaken before work starts. 

We clear trees that block roads/footpaths, but leave any that aren’t causing an access issue as they are a great habitat for wildlife. Fallen timber creates habitat for a variety of wildlife including birds, frogs, hedgehogs, small mammals, invertebrates and fungi which in turn support overall biodiversity. We know that tree felling can look awful to start with, but nature is an amazing thing and quickly takes care of things.

Wood from removed trees is sold for green biomass energy and other sustainable uses.

Private landowners are responsible for all trees on their land. This includes the felling and removal of dead or diseased trees, including trees affected by ash dieback.

Telford & Wrekin Council is only responsible for the management and removal of trees growing on its own land or those growing within the limits of the maintained highway.

The landowner has a legal responsibility to ensure that trees on their land do not present a risk to the public. It is important to carry out regular checks on trees, particularly after storm force winds. Most attention should be paid to those that overhang or may fall onto a public right of way, highway or a neighbouring property.

Landowners should be looking for:

  • signs of ill health including dying or discoloured foliage or deadwood in the leaf canopy
  • instability - this includes freshly exposed roots, soil cracking or significant movement of the root plate
  • decay fungi (mushrooms, toadstools or brackets) within the roots or on the tree
  • large deadwood, broken hanging branches, splits, cavities, or decay. 

Landowners are advised to seek professional advice if they are unsure what to look for or have concerns regarding their trees. Tree specialists (arboricultural consultants) or tree surgeons (arborists) can assist with inspection and management.

This depends on where the tree is located. Is the infected ash tree within falling distance of:

  • property
  • the highway
  • areas regularly used by people.

If so it is likely that work will be required to make the tree safe. This work may include felling or pruning to remove the danger.

It is recommended that where more than 50% of the crown has died back, the tree may pose a safety risk, it is currently recommended that at this state, in areas where there is a risk to people, properties, highways and footways, the tree is felled or dead branches removed to make it safe. 

As the condition of the tree worsens, the wood will become increasingly brittle. This may impact upon the safety of those working on trees and also increase the cost of tree works. It is recommended that you:

  • act at the earliest opportunity 
  • take professional advice from an appropriately qualified tree surgeon (arborist) or tree specialist (arboricultural consultant).

If a diseased tree on your land falls onto a highway and causes damage or injury to third parties, the landowner is liable.

If there are no symptoms or only slight infection then the trees should be retained but monitored annually. It is important to keep a written and dated photographs to record the condition of your trees.

The advice is to not fell trees unless they pose a safety risk, as dead and dying trees are good for wildlife. There is also evidence that a small proportion of the trees will be able to tolerate the disease. Identifying and retaining disease resistant trees will be of great importance to the future of ash trees.

If you are in any doubt, a qualified arboriculturalist will be able to advise,

If you own your home, you don’t need permission to fell a tree that’s solely within your garden, unless it’s:

  • subject to a Tree Preservation Order
  • in a Conservation Area.

In these instances, you will need to notify the Local Planning Authority of your intention to fell the tree.

If you rent your home, you must get the landlord’s permission first.

Any injury or damage caused to a neighbour or their property from tree works or felling is your liability, for example if the tree falls in an unexpected direction onto a shed.

If the tree trunk is in your garden, neighbours have a right to cut overhanging branches but they remain your property.

If you are in any doubt about the legalities of undertaking works to a tree, always seek advice from the council or the Forestry Commission.

View our Trees hedges and Woodland page for further information and advice.

The best time to fell a tree is between September and February as this avoids bird nesting season. The protection of species such as birds and bats is paramount, which is why the council undertakes most of its tree works outside of bird nesting and bat roosting season, unless urgent, and in all cases ecology checks are undertaken before work starts. If it is not possible for you to fell in this time period, you should carry out a watching brief survey to establish if there are any birds nesting in the trees.

Where a tree must be felled outside of a private garden, you may need a felling licence. If the tree, or trees, amount to 5 cubic metres of timber by volume, it’s usually an offence to fell without one.

A felling licence can be obtained from the Forestry Commission, which may have conditions attached to the licence around replanting and ongoing tree maintenance. 

View the Forestry Commission website to view guidance on whether a licence is required.

Visit the Forestry Commission online application system to apply for a licence to fell a tree.

Any felling near a highway will require liaison with the council’s highways team, who will be able to advise on any traffic management/road closure that may be required. Email: streetworks@telford.gov.uk for any enquires regarding traffic management or road closures.

The Council has contacted you because it has identified a dangerous tree on your property which is at risk from falling, presenting a serious safety issue on the adjacent highway and/or footway. As the tree is on your land, you are responsible for the felling and removal of dead or diseased trees. If you have any questions regarding this Notice, please contact the council to discuss.

Report it online or Email: envmaintcs@telford.gov.uk.

There is no restriction on the movement of felled diseased ash trees. However, you can slow the local spread of disease by collecting up and burning (where permitted), burying or deep composting fallen ash leaves and other material on site. This disrupts the life cycle of the fungus. Please do not put infected leaves and twigs in green waste bins for composting by your local authority, as this risks spreading the disease.

The council encourages landowners to replace felled ash trees with UK sourced, disease resistant natives that are suitable for the location i.e. right tree, right place. The loss of ash trees is going to have a real impact on the landscape and the biodiversity of our woodlands, and replacement planting will help mitigate the loss, benefiting wildlife and the fight against climate change. The Woodland Trust provides lots of helpful advice including species choice, how to plant trees and caring for young trees in the first few years. 

Visit the Woodland Trust website for more information and advice.

Last updated: 18/08/2022 10:08

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