Specialist teams will only be felling trees that pose an unacceptable level of risk to the public, particularly near roads, paths, and other public spaces.

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “Ash Dieback Disease continues to be a huge threat to our environment.

“Unfortunately, there is a significant number of affected ash trees growing alongside roads and public spaces across South Lanarkshire that will have to be removed over the next 20 years.”

The programme of work is part of the council’s long-term Ash Dieback Action Plan, which focuses on identifying and managing areas affected by the Ash dieback disease.

Councillor Robert Brown, the chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, added: “Managing this problem as quickly and effectively as possible will help make sure this pervasive disease is managed safely.

“And the council’s replanting programme will ensure over time that tree populations and canopy cover will return with as little impact to our ecosystems as possible.”

The public has recently been asked for their thoughts on local tree planting projects which will go a long way to mitigate the losses of ash tree removal and deliver net biodiversity gain by 2034, and landscape recovery by 2054.

It is estimated that between 50% and 75% of ash trees on land the council manages or owns is and will be affected in the coming years.

It has spread across much of the UK including South Lanarkshire, with only a small fraction of trees proving resistant to the disease which is the most significant to affect broadleaved trees in the UK since Dutch Elm Disease gained prominence in the 1960s.