By Clive Hall, CEO, Place Informatics Ltd
Ash dieback disease is having severe implications from its effects on the management of rights of way. It has become clear that the management of these invaluable natural resources face serious dilemmas: how to ensure the health and safety of the users of these popular pathways whilst eking out limited funding.
The disease was first identified in the UK in 2012, and it has since spread rapidly across the country. The disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, affects the common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), which is one of the most prevalent and ecologically important tree species in the UK
The Role of Place Informatics in Understanding Visitor Behaviour
Place Informatics are leaders in providing proven scientific analysis of location behaviour, demographics and people, helping clients to minimise risk, understand spend and attract visitors.
Monitoring Rights of Way Usage
Ash dieback is affecting thousands of kilometres of rights of way across the country. Place Informatics’ data allows managers to monitor visitor movement flow and behaviour over time. This includes tracking the number of visitors, their movement patterns, duration of their visits as well as catchment and demographic details. By improving understanding of human activity across green spaces including, usage patterns, hot and cold spots, access points and path usage, managers can identify areas that are most at risk from visitor activity around the trees affected by ash dieback and prioritise limited resources accordingly.
Enhancing Visitor Health and Safety
With detailed data on visitor behaviour, managers can implement safety measures more effectively. For example, they can identify high-trafficked areas where ash trees are prevalent and take proactive steps to mitigate safety risks.
Targeting Use of Limited Funds
The range of data that Place Informatics provides allows rights of way owners and managers to target spend to deal with the most urgent and high risk problems.
Getting the message out
Having catchment and demographic information allows managers to tailor their public information messaging to users and commercial operators likely to be affected by any path closures.
The Spread and Impact of Ash Dieback
Ash trees are a key component of many woodland ecosystems, providing habitat and food for a wide range of wildlife, including birds, insects, and fungi
The disease causes leaf loss, crown dieback, and ultimately the death of the tree. It is estimated that the UK could lose up to 80% of its ash trees due to ash dieback
This loss will have a devastating impact on the landscape, biodiversity, and the ecological functions that ash trees provide. For visitors to green spaces, the implications are significant and multifaceted.
Changes to the Landscape
One of the most immediate and visible impacts of ash dieback is the change to the landscape. Ash trees are a common sight in many of the UK’s woodlands, parks, and urban green spaces. Their loss will alter the character and appearance of these areas, potentially reducing their aesthetic and recreational value. Visitors may notice fewer mature trees, more open spaces, and a different mix of tree species as other species fill the gaps left by dying ash trees
Biodiversity Loss
Ash trees support a rich biodiversity, including many species that are specifically adapted to live on or around ash. The loss of ash trees will therefore have a knock-on effect on these species, leading to a decline in biodiversity. For example, certain lichens, mosses, and invertebrates that rely on ash trees may struggle to survive without their host
This reduction in biodiversity can diminish the overall ecological health of green spaces, making them less resilient to other environmental stresses.
Safety Concerns
As ash trees succumb to dieback, they become structurally weakened and more prone to falling branches or toppling over. This poses a safety risk to visitors, particularly in areas where ash trees are prevalent. Land managers may need to undertake extensive tree felling and management to mitigate these risks, which can be costly and disruptive
Visitors may encounter more closed paths, restricted areas, and visible signs of tree management activities, which can detract from their enjoyment of green spaces.
Conclusion
Ash dieback disease presents a significant challenge for the UK’s green spaces and rights of way and the visitors who enjoy them. The loss of ash trees will alter landscapes, reduce biodiversity, and pose safety risks, all of which can impact the visitor experience.
If you have an ash dieback problem, you need to rapidly plan at scale to mitigate the issues and control spending using the comprehensive data now available.
By working together, we can help to ensure that the UK’s green spaces remain vibrant, diverse, and accessible for future generations.
