Hafod Forest: Area of trees cut down due to disease

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Trees on the Hafod Estate in Ceredigion have been made unsafe by disease

A section of forest is being cleared due to signs of disease in a number of trees, Natural Resources Wales said.

Work is under way to cut down 16.1 acres (6.5 hectares) of forest on the Hafod Estate near Aberystwyth in Ceredigion.

NRW said the diseased trees, including mature Noble Fir that line the car park entrance, had become unsafe.

The trees are now in a poor condition, showing signs of rapid die-back, a spokesperson said.

Alan Wilson, from NRW's forest operations team in mid Wales, said large sections of bark were falling off many trees.

"If the trees were to remain, they would become unstable and at risk of falling in an uncontrolled way, making this a serious safety concern for walkers as well as the heritage sites," he added.

NRW said the area would be regenerated with with broadleaf tree species, which it said would help the area's biodiversity.