News

Better News for May Hill Trees

There may be some good news about the famous landmark of May Hill and the removal of the diseased trees, told on this website a week ago. The trees have been inspected by former Forest of Dean Forestry Commission deputy surveyor Rob Guest, who discovered the disease in the trees, said some of the trees would have to go but he believes May Hill will always have a cluster of trees on top. It would seem that the younger, smaller trees, planted in more recent times are diseased and are either dead or dying, whereas the older trees, planted in 1887, are amazingly more resistant to the disease, even though they are classed as quite old for a Corsican Pine. Apparently the smaller trees were planted a lot closer together, and the disease doesn’t affect trees that have plenty of air circulating between them (well it is fairly breezy up there most of the time anyway?) Mr Guest estimates that at least 20% of the younger trees will have to go for the chop, but none of the tall ones at this moment in time. Fingers crossed!

As reported before, the clump of trees have Red Band Needle Blight disease amongst them which hinders the trees' growth. Longhope Parish Council is considering how to tackle the problem.