National Trust begin plans to tackle ash dieback in area of the Malvern Hills

The National Trust is beginning plans to tackle ash dieback in area of the Malvern Hills.

Midsummer Hill, part of the Malvern Hills on the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border, is cared for by the National Trust. Sadly, ash dieback has been identified in a large quantity of the trees on Midsummer Hill. Under the guidance of key stakeholders, which include Historic England, Natural England and the Forestry Commission, an urgent management plan to remove impacted ash trees has been developed. This will be led by the National Trust, who will carry out sensitive felling of the worst affected trees. Ash trees infected with the disease pose a serious risk to public safety as they become vulnerable and unpredictable, shedding limbs and boughs as they ‘die back’. 

Ash dieback, or ‘chalara’, is an Asian fungal disease which spread to the British countryside from imported trees carrying the infection ten years ago. The progress of the disease is rapid since the fungal spores can be carried by the wind for many miles. We don’t yet know what the full impact of the disease will be in Britain but it seems likely to affect up to 95% of our ash trees.

Midsummer Hill consists of an Iron Age hillfort and has Scheduled Ancient Monument status. It is therefore crucial that the Trust minimise any impact to this historically significant landscape. The felling will be carried out in one go in early spring to minimise disturbance. Starting on 21 March, it will take approximately two weeks to complete. Trees will be felled manually and winched to lessen the impact on the ground. Some carefully selected trees will be left, including oak, field maple and hawthorn pollards. These will help to maintain the wood pasture and minimise the chance of future windthrow. Walking routes and access will always be made available, but safety diversions will be in place for the duration of the work.

Midsummer Hill also forms part of the much larger Malvern Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and supports various habitats and wildlife. These include many different species of birds, including the cuckoo, pied flycatcher, green woodpecker and redstart. The Trust are ensuring minimal impact to the local wildlife while felling is undertaken, by:

• Minimising opportunities for ground nesting birds to establish themselves in the area.
• Carrying out ongoing inspections by ecologists to identify nesting birds and taping these areas off as non-intervention zones.
• Carrying out pre-work assessments by ecologists to look for other protected species to ensure they are not negatively impacted by the felling.

Once felling work is complete, the area will be established as species-rich grassland, which will provide an excellent habitat and enhance the SSSI status. It will also protect and better present the hillfort. Midsummer Hill Camp is one of the most well preserved and complex hillforts in Herefordshire. Grassland has many benefits for wildlife and attracts insects, birds and arthropods such as millipedes and spiders. Iain Carter, Herefordshire Countryside Manager for the National Trust, stated: “Visitors to Midsummer Hill will notice a significant change to the landscape, but the work will be hugely beneficial both to the hillfort and wildlife in the long-term, as well as being necessary for public safety.”