Ash dieback management plan

It is not possible to give precise numbers of ash trees on land either controlled by public authorities across Cheltenham. There are 420 significant trees and groups of ash trees under routine inspection by Cheltenham Borough Council’s Tree team. Some of these groups of trees are large (10,000+) and dense and there is a considered variable but generally low adjacent target. Whilst such a group is recorded as one tree, in reality there may actually be several hundred/thousand ash trees of varying size and maturity.

Cheltenham Borough Council assets

Most ash trees managed by the borough council exist in peri-urban and rural situations such as open spaces and woodlands. These areas often take the form of formal avenues of ash trees such as in Sandy Lane Playing Fields and Chargrove Lane Open Space. However, there are many copses and spinneys of ash of varying sizes within public open space as well as ash trees in their surrounding hedge lines. Spaces such as Pittville golf course, the Honeybourne Line, nature reserves and the many suburban parks around Cheltenham are regularly used by members of the public and contain many ash trees. The frequency of use of these areas usually depends on the proximity of adjacent dwellings.

Benhall Woods and Leckhampton Hill in particular have an estimated high percentage population of mixed-maturity and size ash trees within several large areas. Leckhampton Hill has a frequent and dense visitor population principally made up of dog walkers, ramblers and mountain bike users. Traditionally, these users stick to the principal paths and routes, the Cotswold Way and access from carparks to the top of the Hill.

It is likely that the appearance and character of these areas will change dramatically following the decline of their ash populations.

There is a relatively low ash tree population within formal parks and gardens such as Pittville Lawn, Imperial Gardens, Sandford Park managed by the borough council.

Whilst the majority of ash trees on council land (excluding woodland) are under a routine and cyclical safety inspection regime by qualified trees officers, there are large areas of Borough land (eg Leckhampton Hill) where no formal system of inspection exists due to the nature and size of the area. A management plan for such areas is in place and this is supplemented by informal assessments by the councils Green Spaces team often informed by the very active friends group, Friends of Leckhamton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK) or via more social media contact. By its nature, this response is reactive.

However, in other parks, gardens and open spaces, a pro-active approach is adopted. All records of formal and routine tree safety inspections are retained for insurance purposes.

Other statutory undertakers within Cheltenham

Different levels and frequencies of tree inspection are undertaken by other statutory undertakers, for example Gloucestershire County Council depending on the considered risk and resource allocation. Gloucestershire Highways have already commenced a programme of ash removal by roadside verges throughout the county.

Privately owned trees

There is no reason to assume that the percentage of ash trees of the total number of trees is likely to be different in Cheltenham than elsewhere. It is the second most common species of tree throughout the country and the most frequent hedgerow tree. This is likely to be as a result of its seeds ability to readily germinate as well as its ability to quickly grow in hostile and difficult environments.

The level of active privately owned tree safety assessments is thought to be very variable. Experience appears to suggest that few householders undertake any formal safety assessments of their trees.

It is anticipated that the level of formal safety inspection of trees on farm and other land by owners is also variable, but generally is considered as being low. As such, the potential risk of tree failure onto persons or property appears significant.