Visitors to the Yorkshire Dales National Park are being asked to help stop the spread of a disease that is killing thousands of trees throughout Europe.
Hikers are being asked to take extra care when walking in woods as experts from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) work to assess the impact of ash dieback disease on the fragile landscape.
The disease was discovered in the UK earlier this year. It causes leaf loss and kills off the tree’s crown, often resulting in the death of the ash tree. It is caused by the fungus Chalara Fraxinea, which is thought to be transmitted by the wind, insects and rain splash.
Geoff Garrett, the YDNPA’s Senior Trees and Woodland Officer, said:
No symptoms of the disease have been found so far but the Park Authority is asking visitors to take extra care.