A MAJOR Island road will close for several days so trees can be felled after The National Trust found a fungal disease in all the woodlands they manage on the Isle of Wight.

The team is having to take action to compact ash dieback.

Scroll down for video

There will be a temporary closure of the main road from Ventnor to Shanklin, from Leeson Road through Cowlease and into Shanklin.

The works starts on Monday and road closure signs will be in place.

Isle of Wight County Press:

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.

Robin Lang of the National Trust said: "We have identified a large number of trees that pose a risk to public safety and unfortunately are now in urgent need of felling. “

Not all affected ash trees will be felled. Wherever it's safe to do so, the trust will leave both standing and fallen deadwood so wildlife can benefit.

Robin 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.”

Isle of Wight County Press: Work to manage ash dieback. Picture by National Trust Images/Adam Kirkland.

Work to manage ash dieback. Picture by National Trust Images/Adam Kirkland.

 

Other areas affected are Tennyson Down, footpath T24 from High Down car park to Moons Hill quarry (closed from February 21), bridleway SS9a from Cowleaze to Luccombe Down (work already taken place), Newtown, and other smaller areas of Ventnor and St Helens.