A new disease killing native oak trees has been discovered in the grounds of a stately home near Shrewsbury – threatening to destroy woodland dating back hundreds of years.
Attingham Park, a site of national importance for oak trees, has come under attack from Acute Oak Decline (AOD) which has affected more than 50 sites in the east of England, southern England and the Midlands, and experts warn other suspect cases have yet to be confirmed.
General manager Mark Agnew told the Chronicle the disease had already killed one oak tree in Rookery Wood, famous for its stunning displays of bluebells, which sits between the stables and the mansion.
AOD, which is thought to be caused by a previously unknown bacteria, leaves trees ‘bleeding’ black fluid and kills them within five years.
Foresters believe it could devastate the countryside and urban green spaces even more than Dutch elm disease, which has killed 25 million trees in Britain since 1967.
Mr Agnew said: “It has spread to a number of ancient oaks as well and in the deer park we have an oak tree which dates back to when Henry VIII was on the throne and if that gets it that will be a terrible loss.
“At the moment there is nothing we can appear to do about it. We have got 300 acres of woodland. If it spreads and kills all of our oak woodland then that’s catastrophic. We are a site of national importance for oak trees and we are very important in Shropshire.”
Mr Agnew added they had thought about shutting the paths off through Rookery Wood or re-routing them completely as to avoid the affected trees, but have held back until more is learned about how the disease is spreading.
Woodland charities and commercial forestry groups are calling for £10 million over the next five years to investigate tree diseases – with AOD a priority for research.
But head warden Bob Thurston said he felt the disease wasn’t necessarily a ‘death sentence’ and said he had seen signs of recovery.
Peter Goodwin, chairman of Woodland Heritage, said the disease was ‘spreading at a ridiculous rate’ and estimated that within two years it could take over the whole country.
By Charlotte Hester