More blighted trees are to be felled by Brighton and Hove City Council, with forestry contractors due to start work next week.
The council said: “Urgent work to remove dead and diseased ash trees in Coldean Woods is due to begin on Monday (19 January).
“The work, to manage ash dieback in the woods, will also coincide with preparations for a footpath improvement project which will improve the right of way from Coldean into Stanmer Park.
“The footpath project is being funded with a grant from the South Downs National Park Authority.
“Many of the trees bordering the footpath, which runs from opposite the Ruby pub up the hill to the A27 bypass lower bridge, are suffering with ash dieback disease and must be removed before the improvement work can begin.
“Felling will be carried out by experienced forestry contractors using specialist heavy machinery.
“Some non-ash native species may be removed as part of the work but this will only be done for infection control or safety reasons.
“The tree felling, along with the footpath improvement work, means two sections of footpath will close for around seven to eight weeks, starting from Monday (19 January) and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
“Signs will be put up and, while work is carried out, walkers can use the alternative footpath beside Denman Close over the upper A27 footbridge or walk along the park frontage beside A270, Lewes Road and Stoneymere Way.”
Labour councillor Alan Robins, the council’s cabinet member responsible for parks, said: “We understand that any tree removal can be upsetting for residents but these dead and infected trees need to be removed.
“The good news is that once the tree felling has been completed, we can move forward with work to improve this well-used footpath which will benefit local people and park users.
“We will be working closely on site with expert ecologists to minimise any potential disturbance to protected species like badgers, nesting birds or roosting bats and will use this opportunity to develop the wood over time with a wider range of species, creating a more diverse habitat.”
He added that, where possible, tree trunks and stumps will be left on site to create valuable habitats for wildlife.
The council said: “Once the tree work has been completed, footpath improvement work will begin. This will include installing a grid system with an overlay of stone and grit to improve access and create a safer and less slippery surface, particularly during wet weather.
“If you need more information, have any concerns or need any extra support during the work, please contact cityparks@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call 01273 294349 during office hours, from 9:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.”
Have the council got a felling licence this time. Last year they were reported to the Forestry Commission because the “emergency” felling work they did at Hollingbury woods didn’t have the permissions the council should have had in place.
So in reality they are felling trees to make way for a footpath? I do hope the sick trees are all in convenient places and they don’t have to cut any healthy ones down.
Please grow up you people, this work needs to be done and the sooner it is so the sooner replanting can begin.
If the Forestry Commission found the council to be in the wrong last year, I don’t think it’s wrong at all for residents to query whether the council has the right legal permissions in place this year.
Of course councils need to fell disease trees, but last year they felled loads of healthy ones too and left Hollingbury Woods in an awful state. Along with the council allowing hundreds of newly planted saplings to die at Hove Beach Park last year, they don’t have a good record on tree or woodland care.
I don’t think the Hove Beach Park was the councils fault and I presume that will be replanted. It’s because of all these complaints that the replanting is held up. The council have a good record especially with Dutch Elm Disease.