SWATHES of trees could be wiped out if a deadly disease that is making its way across Europe hits the district, according to an expert.
The airbourne ash dieback disease, which has already lead to the destruction of 100,000 trees in the UK and reports have been confirmed in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Jeremy Dagley, the City of London Corporation’s conservation manager for Epping Forest, said: “It will be a tragedy if we have this disease spread, which it does look like it’s going to.
“I don’t think there’s probably anything we can do. The Forestry Commission is trying to do what they can across other sites.”
But he added that if the fungus was found in the forest, tools, vehicles and boots would be disinfected to try and stop it spreading.
While he has done some initial searches for the disease, which causes leaves to wilt and turns foliage and branches a dark colour, he has found no trace in the forest.
Ash trees are mainly found in the section of woodland surrounding St Margarets’ Hospital in Epping known as Low Forest, as well as on roadsides and in hedgerows.
“Where I think people will notice it and what worries me is on the green lanes and in the drove roads.
“Low Forest has quite a large proportion of ash and there it takes up somewhere up to 10 or 20 per cent of the canopy.
“It’s important for wildlife, because ash trees don’t live that long unless they’re pollarded for wood, so they become hollow quite regularly.
“Bats and birds like jackdaws, stock doves, and the lesser-spotted woodpecker, which is very rare.”
But he said that while the disease usually kills younger trees, there were some ashes in the forest that had been repeatedly cut back for wood and were not very old that he hoped would be resistant.
“We’ve got a couple of lovely ash pollards in the forest,” he added.
“Hopefully, it means they’ve got enough genetic diversity that we will find them more resistant.”
Signs of ash dieback disease:
• Wilting and black or brown discolouration of leaves
• Small spots or legions on bark
• Trees with withered tops and shoots
• Anyone who spots symptoms should contact the Forestry Commission Plant Health Service on 0131 314 6414 or plant.health@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or the City of London Corporation on 020 7606 3030.
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