Work to tackle Ash Dieback disease continues across Carmarthenshire.

Carmarthenshire County Council is tackling the risk posed by Ash Dieback disease by working to remove infected trees adjacent to the highway for which the Council is directly responsible, and which pose an unacceptable risk to the public.

The summer months are the best time to assess diseased ash trees when they are in full leaf. The Council’s Highway Inspectors are currently surveying over 730km of road network with priority given to our A and B roads and the busier C class routes. Diseased trees within Council and private ownership are being tagged with spray or ribbon where more than 50% of the trees crown is dead. The 50% threshold has been adopted nationally as the point where trees become an unacceptable threat to people and property.

Although the Highway Inspectors have tagged diseased ash trees, private landowners are reminded that the overall responsibility remains with the landowner to manage their trees and remove those which have been tagged.

Where landowners fail to manage the risk posed by their trees, the Council is using powers under Section 154 of the Highways Act 1980 to remove the trees. Costs incurred by the Council are then charged back to the landowner.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen commented:

The removal of diseased ash trees is a dangerous job and should only be carried out by experienced tree surgeons. Landowners are advised to employ a qualified and insured tree surgeon to advise on their trees and how Ash Dieback can be managed. Those who are concerned about the impacts of tree felling on wildlife should note that the Council will commence its work on effected trees during the autumn and winter months, to reduce any negative impact on wildlife, such as birds, bats and dormice.

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