The felling of 500 trees with an infectious disease in the Nidd Gorge is now complete — but the Woodland Trust warns more are likely to be chopped down over the next couple of years.

Parts of the popular beauty spot in Bilton look a little different now after the felling, which has been taking place over the last month and involved the closure of some footpaths by the River Nidd.

The conservation charity, which owns Nidd Gorge, said the work was necessary to protect other trees in the woodland. The charity said it did not profit financially from the work.

The disease is called Phytophthora ramorum and has a devastating impact on native trees. Once infected, the tree eventually dies.

Larch trees like those found in Nidd Gorge are highly susceptible to the disease.

The Woodland Trust’s site manager, Jonny Walker, said:

“The planned felling work is complete. There is likely, however, to be more felling in the next 12 to 18 months. We are awaiting confirmation as to whether a further section of larch is also likely infected with Phytophthora ramorum and subject to a statutory plant health notice from the Forestry Commission.”

A poster about the works in Nidd Gorge

Planned work to improve footpaths will shortly be starting downstream of Rudding Bottoms with further disruption to footpath users.

But it is hoped once complete regular walkers should see safer, firmer footing along the riverside path.

Mr Walker added:

“There will also be removal of some diseased ash trees where they cause a danger to the public using the paths in the wood. Silvicultural work will also be taking place in the young woodland along Rudding Bottoms to promote varied canopy heights, gaps for sunlight, shelter for birds and invertebrates and to create deadwood habitat.

“All of which increase ecological integrity and are vital for a healthy woodland; something highlighted in State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report published by the Woodland Trust in 2021.”

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Work to chop down 500 trees in the Nidd Gorge has been delayed until next week.

The Woodlands Trust, which is a conservation charity that owns Nidd Gorge, says the trees are infected and need to be felled.

They have a disease called phytophthora ramorum, which is having a devastating impact on native trees.

Government body Forestry England has given the trust permission to fell the trees before the disease spreads further.

Work, which will be accompanied by footpath closures, was due to begin yesterday.

A map showing the first planned footpath closure.

But it is now expected to start on Monday next week and will take between four to six weeks, the trust has said.

As part of the tree felling, a footpath between Bilton Beck footbridge and Milers Fork will be closed.

Paul Bunton, community engagement officer at the trust, said previously:

“It is devastating news for our site team and visitors that we are having to reluctantly fell these diseased trees at Nidd Gorge to protect others. Phytophthora ramorum, while of no risk to the public, is one of the biggest threats to our native tree species at the site.

“Nidd Gorge is and will remain a really popular and cherished woodland close to Harrogate and Knaresborough and we ask the public to bear with us while we carry out the work.”

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Forty years on from her diagnosis, a woman has set up a Harrogate Lupus support group for local people to find support and hopefully comfort in hearing the experience of others.

Cherry Bratkowski was 23-years-old when she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease. She’s now 61-years-old and over the years has experienced severe fatigue, rashes, liver and brain inflammation and numerous cases of pneumonia.

A main motivator for setting up the group for her was having to go through years of hospital admissions with her daughter, Tess Bratkowski, before she got an autoimmune diagnosis at 26-years-old.

Similar to her mum, Tess developed symptoms from the age of 12 but it has taken years of letters to MPs and consultants to get the right referral.

Tess Bratkowski

Ms Bratkowski is a professional musician and the resident pianist at the Old Swan, Harrogate. She said her diagnosis meant she couldn’t follow her original career path because she was too ill.

She knows other people will have similar experiences and hopes they could find comfort in sharing them with others:

“I’ve been very lucky in a lot of ways, I was told it was 80% unlikely that I could carry a child but I had two. But I’ve also been very ill, I just feel like there needs to be a lot more awareness.”

Lupus is thought to affect one in every 1,000 people but with no specialist lupus nurse at Harrogate District Hospital she believes there isn’t enough support.

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She said she had wanted to set up a group after the previous Harrogate group disbanded.

The musician plans to hold meetings at Woodlands Methodist Church Hall, with the first next Tuesday, May 24, between 1pm and 3.30pm.

Ms Bratkowski has worked with national charity Lupus UK to set up the group and hopes to encourage people across the district to attend.

She added:

“Watching my daughter brought it home to me how many people are suffering, whether its their medication side effects or isolation during covid it’s been very difficult for us.

“The help just isn’t there, people just don’t know enough about it even doctors and specialists.”

To contact Ms Bratkowski about the meeting, email Organpipe@icloud.com.

Five hundred larch trees will be felled in Nidd Gorge due to a disease that is ripping through the woodland.

The Woodland Trust, which owns Nidd Gorge, says the infectious disease is called phytophthora ramorum and is already having a devastating impact on native trees.

Government body Forestry England has given the trust permission to fell the trees before it spreads further.

It means some of the footpaths in the popular beauty spot will close this spring and summer whilst work takes place.

Paul Bunton, community engagement officer at the trust, said:

“It is devastating news for our site team and visitors that we are having to reluctantly fell these diseased trees at Nidd Gorge to protect others. Phytophthora ramorum, while of no risk to the public, is one of the biggest threats to our native tree species at the site.

“Nidd Gorge is and will remain a really popular and cherished woodland close to Harrogate and Knaresborough and we ask the public to bear with us while we carry out the work.

“Our community events are a great opportunity for people to find out more before the work starts,  especially those who visit the woodland on a regular basis.”

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Keith Wilkinson, chair of Bilton Conservation Group, described what happens to larch trees once they become infected with the disease.

“It’s not a mould or a fungus but it is between the two and it attacks the larch. The needles start dying. It takes a while to kill the tree, but once it’s got it, it’s doomed.”

The Woodland Trust is holding two drop-in sessions in Bilton where members of the public can find out more about the works and ask questions to staff.

These will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at Bilton Community Centre between 6pm and 9pm and on Nidderdale Greenway off Bilton Lane on Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

Cancer Research UK is inviting people to take part in Race for Life in Harrogate on Sunday, July 10.

Women, men and children can choose to enter 3k, 5k and 10k events in the town that all start from The Stray.

There is also a chance to take part in obstacle courses Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids.

Race for Life was cancelled in 2020 due to covid but returned to Harrogate in September last year.

Money raised from the event helps scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

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Siobhan Byrne, Race for Life spokesperson for Harrogate, said:

“Our Race for Life events are open to all. For some people, the Race for Life is literally a walk in the park. Slow and steady still wins. For others, it’s a jog. Others may opt to push themselves harder, taking up the challenge of the 10k distance and even pushing for a new personal best time.

“But what is for certain is we’re looking forward to welcoming people of all ages and abilities. Race for Life Harrogate will be fun, emotional, colourful, uplifting and an unforgettable event this year.”  

Anyone who signs up between Monday April 4 and Monday April 18 can claim a 30% off the entry fee as part of a special sale by using the code EASTER30.

Besides the entry fee, competitors will be asked for £50 minimum sponsorship.

To sign up, visit raceforlife.org.

Dog owners have been warned to be alert for the symptoms of a rare disease after a case was found in Knaresborough.

Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy, better known as Alabama rot, begins as skin lesions but can develop quickly and lead to kidney failure.

Specialist veterinary referral practice Anderson Moores, which leads research into the disease from it Winchester base, confirmed yesterday it had seen three new cases in the UK including one in Knaresborough. There have been 271 confirmed cases of the rare disease since it first emerged in the UK in 2012, with 20 since the beginning of this year.

Hannah Philipson, who runs The Harrogate Dog Walking and Pet Company, said while there was no need for alarm, dog owners should be aware of the symptoms of Alabama rot.

“It tends to be their feet and legs that are affected more, which is why they advise you wash your dog down when it’s muddy after a walk.

“It can be treated if it’s noticed early – it’s down to your vet and how quickly they act, whether they think it’s something else. It does tend to take hold in a couple of days, which is very fast.

“If it takes hold, it’s really unlikely a dog would survive.”

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When she posted about the Knaresborough case on Facebook, Hannah said some people were alarmed and said they would not walk their dogs in the area any more. However, there is no evidence that the disease can be transmitted by dogs being walked in the same place, and vets do not know how it is contracted.

Hannah said she has known families with two dogs, both cared for and walked together, where one has caught Alabama rot and the other has not.

She has spoken to fellow dog walkers to discuss what measures can be taken to minimise risk. Rather than trying to avoid it, she said the best thing to do is to be vigilant for the early signs and speak to a vet if there are any sores or swelling on the dog, particularly around the legs and paws, but also on the face, mouth and body.

She added that, with a rise in dog ownership during the pandemic, it was more important than ever to raise awareness of the rare disease.

“A lot of people don’t know about it and what to look for – they might think it’s just a sore and nothing to worry about.”

A paw lesion in a case of Alabama rot

David Walker, a specialist in small animal internal medicine, leads the team at Anderson Moores and is the UK’s foremost authority on Alabama rot. He said:

“Sadly, we find ourselves at the time of year when cases are most commonly identified. It is understandably a worrying time for dog owners with regard to CRGV; however, the disease remains rare.

“The disease seems to appear across many counties at this time of year. January and February are typically our highest case number months and, sadly, this year was no different.

“We’re advising dog owners across the country to remain calm but vigilant and seek advice from their local vets if their dog develops unexplained skin lesions. If a dog becomes affected by CRGV, the best chance of recovery probably lies with early and intensive veterinary care which may be best provided at a specialist facility.”

Although around 90% of cases to prove to be fatal, he said the team had recently successfully treated a Labrador for the disease.