Leeds City Council is undertaking work to trees in Cross Flatts Park to address the threat of ash dieback disease, a fungal infection that is killing ash trees across the UK.
The council has commissioned TreeSaw, a professional tree service company, to carry out the works, which will involve the removal of 48 ash trees that are showing advanced signs of the disease or have other structural defects that pose a risk to public safety. The works will also include deadwood removals, crown reductions, crown lifts, and stump removals for other affected trees in the park.
The works are scheduled to start as soon as possible, mindful of the coming bird nesting season, and are expected to take several weeks to complete.
The council recognises the importance of Cross Flatts Park as a valuable community space and a habitat for wildlife, and is committed to replacing the removed trees with new planting in the future. This will require some careful design and planning considerations, such as the time of year, the sustainability of planting, and the impact on the park’s amenity and neighbouring land use. The council will work with the local community groups to develop a suitable planting scheme, subject to funding availability.
Ash dieback disease is an ongoing issue that will require further survey work and tree removal in the future. The council is following the guidance of The Tree Council, a national charity that promotes the importance of trees, and is using drone technology and artificial intelligence to monitor the condition of the ash trees in the park and classify the degree of dieback disease.
Councillors Andrew Scopes, Annie Maloney and Gohar Almass (Labour, Beeston and Holbeck) said:
“We are sad to see so many ash trees affected by this devastating disease, and we understand the impact this will have on the park’s landscape and character. However, we have a duty to ensure the safety of the park users and the surrounding residents, and we cannot ignore the risk posed by the diseased and damaged trees.
“We hope to see new planting in the park in the future, and we will work closely with the local community to achieve this. We thank everyone for their patience and cooperation while the tree works are carried out.”
This post is based on a press release issued by Beeston & Holbeck Ward Councillors
Photo: Contractors working in Cross Flatts Park in 2021. Credit: Jeremy Morton
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Sad but necessary work – will any archaeology be undertaken with the stump removal bearing in mind the medieval use of the park bysite?
Really hope that the planting of new trees is not put off for years , can’t imagine what the park will look like once these trees are removed,