Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has confirmed its tree felling operation in Llanbradach will be finished by July this year, more than two years later than the original completion date.
The 23 hectares of woodland in Llanbradach is infected with Phytophthora ramorum, which is more commonly known as larch disease.
Work to remove the infected trees began in 2021 at Llanbradach, as well as woodland sites near Crosskeys and Pontywaun.
Three years on however, residents have been asking when the work is due to come to a stop, after NRW said it would be completed by February 2022.
Llanbradach-Work-Areas-MapWhat is larch disease?
Phytophthora ramorum, or larch disease, is a fungus-like disease which can cause extensive damage and mortality to wide range of trees and other plants. Its name literally means ‘plant destroyer’ in Latin.
It was first discovered in the United Kingdom in 2002 and tends to thrive in wet environments.
It has been responsible for some of the worst plant disease epidemics in history, including potato blight which led to the disastrous Irish potato famine in the 1800s.
How does it spread and what are the signs?
Larch disease spreads through airborne spores from tree to tree. It poses no threat to human or animal health.
It can spread naturally in wind-blown rain (up to 4 miles) but it is the plant trade that spread this disease across the globe.
Signs a tree is infected with larch disease include:
- Blackened base of the leaf near the stem and along the leaf.
- Withered and blackened leaves or needles leading to dieback of the outer branches.
- Areas of black “bleeding” on the trunk.
- In larch, the disease progresses very quickly so whole trees will be dead within a short period of time.
When asked by Caerphilly Observer about the work, NRW’s senior operations officer Owen Hoddy said: “Unfortunately, the operation is taking a little bit longer than we originally anticipated, as work had to be paused in 2022 due to economic challenges in the timber market and then in 2023 to allow for bird nesting season.
“We’re pleased to say that the operations were able to resume in February and our contractors are currently working on the slopes above Colliery Road.
“We estimate the work will be completed by July and we’d like to thank residents’ and visitors for their patience and co-operation whilst this work is being carried out.
“Before any felling operations begin, we work closely with a bird surveyor to survey the site for any nesting birds. We also check historical records to assess if protected species are known to have nested in the area previously.”
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