Thirty-six Black Poplar trees have been planted on the Liss Riverside Railway Walk to replace trees lost due to ash dieback.

Black Poplars used to be grown all over the UK for use as timber, but with the introduction of faster growing species from abroad during the Victorian era, large numbers were felled and never replanted.

The trees are dioecious meaning each one is either female or male. Female seeds were viewed as a nuisance, resulting in the trees being felled, which in turned made it more difficult for them to reproduce.

Liss Riverside Walk is a wet area with plenty of space providing ideal growing conditions for the 36 Black Poplars. By strategically placing the trees, they have the best chance of survival and repopulate areas that have seen ash trees felled due to the ash dieback disease.

Cllr Robert Mocatta, EHDC portfolio holder for regeneration and prosperity (which includes climate and environment), said: “This planting project is a great opportunity to reintroduce a native tree to help diversify and strengthen the woodland of the area.

“Ash dieback has had a significant impact on trees across the country and according to the Woodland Trust, is expected to kill up to 80 per cent of ash trees across the UK.

“Trees are also key to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis so it is important to replace those lost through disease.”

The Black Poplars ‘whips’ (slender, unbranched plants) have been gifted to EHDC through the Bring Back the Black Poplar project, run by the Western Sussex Rivers Trust. The Trust catchment includes the River Rother and its tributaries in East Hampshire.