Isle of Wight National Trust trees felled due to ash dieback

Mass felling is taking place after the fungal disease was identified in every National Trust woodland on the Island.

Pictures below, and video, are all from the main road between Shanklin and Bonchurch, which has been closed during the day for two weeks.

It will be closed a further five days, from Monday (February 28), due to the scale of the works. Traffic will be able to get through outside the hours of 9am and 4pm.

Work to cut down ash trees near Ventnor.

Will the landscape look bare for long?

Tree experts on site told the County Press the resident sycamore, hazel and elm trees should quickly take over the land, and there is a chance wildflowers may thrive once the diseased ash is cleared.

While the road has been closed, the hedges and overhanging trees have also been cut back.

The road between Shanklin and Ventnor.

What is ash dieback disease?

Ash dieback is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and the disease causes ash trees to slowly die, drop limbs or branches, collapse or fall.

Wherever it's safe to do so, the trust will leave both standing and fallen deadwood so wildlife can benefit.

Robin Lang, National Trust Isle of Wight countryside manager, said: "Despite the tragic loss of trees, we'll be seizing the opportunity to increase the biodiversity in areas hardest hit. "Where we've removed dying ash trees, we'll leave most areas to naturally regenerate as woodland, or in the case at Tennyson Down, using the clearance as an opportunity to restore rare chalk grassland where the soil type is suitable.”

Cowleaze Hill in Bonchurch.

Other areas where trees are being felled are Tennyson Down, Newtown and St Helens.

Felled tree trunks and branches piled up at Bonchurch Landslip car park.

• Read more: Ash dieback found in every National Trust woodland on Isle of Wight