Thirty beech trees in Monks Walk, Welwyn Garden City will be felled before Christmas due to severe infection and extensive decay.
The trees are infected with the fungus Kretzschmaria deusta, a serious decay fungus of various tree species which is often difficult to spot and identify.
The council has seen all the early signs of this problem in a number of the trees and says there is no alternative but to fell those affected.
Monks Walk in Sherrardspark Wood forms a line of trees which are over 200 years old, having been planted in the early 1800s. The beech trees, around 80-90 feet high, were originally planted as part of Lord Cowper's estate.
In all, 30 of the beeches need to be felled due to the infection which causes a soft rot and decays the trunk and roots of living trees. Those needing to be felled are being marked and residents in the area have been informed, with work set to begin on 2 December.
A programme of extensive replanting is underway, scheduled for completion by the end of the planting season in March 2014, so that the tree line can be replaced with another native hardwood tree of a similar height.
The council will continue to follow advice given by Forest Research on the progress of the infection and monitor all beech trees in the borough.
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