Key Points
- Leeds City Council is reminding landowners to check ash trees on their property now that leaves are emerging, as thousands of diseased trees require removal due to safety risks.
- Diseased trees, affected by ash dieback or other defects, pose collapse risks near highways, potentially causing disruption and harm.
- An interactive map launched in October 2025 shows ash trees near main highways and their condition; surveys resume in May 2026 with ongoing updates.
- A dedicated web page offers guidance on identifying affected trees, legal duties, and support contacts, even for trees not near highways.
- Ash leaves emerge in April, reaching full leaf from May to September, making now the ideal inspection time.
- The council has felled nearly 3,000 trees on its land and planted close to 4,000 replacements this winter, aiming for five new trees per removal next winter.
- Ash dieback, a fungal disease, blocks water and nutrient flow, weakening trees and altering UK landscapes and biodiversity.
- Councillor Mohammed Rafique emphasised the council’s survey efforts, the map’s role, landowners’ responsibilities, and the optimal timing for checks.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) May 13, 2026 – Landowners across Leeds face a pressing reminder from the city council to inspect their ash trees for signs of disease, as leaves now emerge and reveal potential hazards. Thousands of ash trees on private and public land have been flagged for removal owing to ash dieback or structural defects, with particular concern for those near highways where collapse could endanger lives and traffic.
The council stresses its legal duty to manage trees under its control to avoid unreasonable risks to people or property, extending the same obligation to private landowners. As reported in the council’s official release, trees infected with ash dieback or showing defects risk sudden failure, blocking roads and causing harm if left unaddressed.
Why Are Ash Trees a Safety Concern Now?
In October 2025, Leeds City Council launched an interactive map pinpointing ash trees near main highways and detailing their current condition, enabling landowners to assess required actions. Surveys paused over winter but restart this month, with new findings added continuously to the map.
The council’s dedicated web page provides comprehensive guidance: it helps identify affected trees anywhere on land, outlines legal responsibilities, and lists support contacts.
Ash tree leaves typically appear in April, filling out fully between May and September – the prime period to spot dieback symptoms like wilting foliage or blackened lesions.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, the council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment, and green space, stated:
“Our teams have worked very hard to identify thousands of trees near to highways that are currently in need of felling. These can all be seen on the interactive map, which will be continuously updated as we continue our survey.”
He added:
“Just like the council has a responsibility to manage trees on our land, we want to remind residents that landowners have that same responsibility on theirs. With ash trees being in full leaf from May it is the perfect time to look for signs of ash dieback on your land.”
What Has the Council Done So Far?
Leeds City Council has already removed nearly 3,000 ash trees from its own land to mitigate risks. In response, close to 4,000 replacement trees were planted over the past winter season. Further planting is scheduled for next winter, with a commitment to plant five trees for every one felled on council property.
This proactive approach underscores the scale of the issue: ash dieback has infected vast numbers of trees nationwide, prompting widespread felling.
The disease, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, spreads via spores on wind or water, invading vascular tissues to halt water and nutrient transport.
Weakened trees become brittle, prone to secondary infections, and structurally unsound. Over time, ash dieback will reshape the UK’s woodlands, reducing ash populations that comprise up to 10% of native trees and support diverse wildlife from birds to lichens.
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How Can Landowners Identify and Report Issues?
Landowners must check trees beyond highway proximity, as any ash showing dieback symptoms demands attention. Key signs include crown dieback (dead upper branches), basal lesions (dark streaks at the trunk base), and leaves that blacken and shrivel while still attached.
The council’s web resources detail these indicators, legal obligations under the Highways Act 1980 and Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, and steps for professional inspection or felling. Private owners bear full costs but can seek arborist advice or council support via listed channels.
Failure to act risks enforcement action, including compulsory removal at the owner’s expense plus fines. The interactive map, accessible online, uses colour-coding – red for imminent felling, amber for monitoring – to prioritise cases.
Background of the Ash Dieback Development
Ash dieback emerged in the UK around 2012, arriving from continental Europe via infected saplings. First confirmed in East Anglia, it spread rapidly, with Forestry Commission surveys estimating 80-90% mortality in unmanaged populations over a decade.
Leeds reflects a national crisis: Defra reports over 100,000 diseased trees felled yearly, with urban areas like Leeds facing heightened risks from roadside planting.
The disease lifecycle involves airborne spores infecting leaves in summer, progressing to stems by autumn. Spores overwinter on fallen petioles, perpetuating spread.
Resistant strains exist, but breeding programmes remain nascent; the Living Ash Project trials selections, yet widespread deployment lies years ahead.
Leeds City Council’s mapping initiative builds on national protocols from the Tree Council and Woodland Trust, which advocate early detection.
Winter 2025-2026 planting aligns with biodiversity net gain mandates under the Environment Act 2021, favouring native species like oak, hazel, and field maple as ash replacements. Surveys employ visual assessments augmented by resistograph sampling for decay quantification.
Prediction: Impact on Leeds Landowners and Residents
This development places immediate pressure on Leeds landowners, particularly those with private gardens, estates, or boundary trees near roads, to fund inspections and removals amid rising arborist demand and costs averaging £500-£2,000 per tree. Delays could lead to insurance claims or liability for accidents, straining household budgets while council enforcement targets non-compliant sites.
Residents near highways benefit from reduced collapse risks, enhancing road safety amid growing traffic volumes, but face temporary disruptions from felling operations. Biodiversity shifts may alter local ecosystems, with ash-dependent species declining short-term, though replanting promises long-term gains in urban greening and carbon sequestration. Overall, proactive checks foster safer neighbourhoods, but resource constraints could widen disparities between council-managed and private lands.
