A MUCH-LOVED Dorset tree-lined avenue will feature in a National Trust survey to find out how many “stunning landscape features” it has and the state they are in.

The Trust estimates it has around 500 avenues which were planted to provide a natural picture frame to views and now also provide a valuable habitat for wildlife.

Avenues contain numerous ancient tree specimens and many tell the stories of their creation. Many face the threat of disease which can spread between trees and the survey will help prioritise funding for their future protection.

Notable avenues on National Trust land include more than 700 trees in the Beech Avenue at Kingston Lacy which were a gift from aristocrat William John Bankes to his mother Frances.

Work is currently taking place to remove diseased and dying trees from the avenue, which was planted in 1835. Many of the trees are dying from a combination of old age, disease and climate changes.

The Trust said: “We know how many people love this place but unfortunately we have no choice but to remove some of these trees – they have a life-span of around 200 years and they are already 180 years old.

“They are also being infected by fungi such as Kreutzmaria deusta which can make the wood brittle and liable to sudden failure.”

Straddling a B road, which wasn’t there when the trees were planted, has also affected the trees along with traffic pollution, local flooding and road salting.

The Trust added: “We have a responsibility to manage the avenue as best we can – it was never going to live forever.”

Work to manage the Beech Avenue began many years ago; last year 21 trees were removed and diseased limbs removed from a further 78.

To ensure the legacy of the Beech Avenue, the Trust is asking people to share their memories of the magnificent tree-lined spectacle.