Ash dieback disease

[Rachael]

There is a large ash tree at the end of our garden (belonging to the house behind) that looks to me like it is suffering from ash dieback. I've submitted photos via the Ashtag app. The photos go to the University of East Anglia and they pass on suspect cases to the Forestry Commission. Whole process took me about five minutes. The tree has been dropping branches and black-brown leaves for about a year now. It may just be old rather than diseased, but it does seem inevitable, sadly.

There are lots of common ash trees around us - they self-seed prolifically - and time is running out to identify diseased trees before they lose their leaves (there are other ways to identify the disease, but brown curled leaves are the easiest to spot). If you think you have spotted a diseased tree, go here: http://ashtag.org/ and find out how to check it and how to report it.

[JRobinson]

I find it worrying that I (and a lot of others beside me no doubt) would struggle to identify an ash tree in the first place.

[Rachael]

I probably wouldn't know if the one behind my house didn't drop its seeds all over my garden. I'm forever digging out saplings. They grow so fast, if I miss one it can be a five feet high before I realise. My neighbours don't seem bothered - there are now three young ashes at the back of their garden, each about 12 foot high. None of which means I'm hoping this particular tree is diseased, of course...

[Annie.]

What a crying shame, I love trees, all sorts, I would like to ask why ? if this disease was not in this country until 3 ? Years ago, how the hell it was allowed to get here?
Why aren't our imports checked and double checked so this sort of problem does not occur!

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[Tim Lund]

This guy, Dr Glyn Percival, was pretty categorical on the Today Programme - at 3.31 into this clip. As he says, we're into management. Interesting what he says about genetic diversity - the implication is that it's best to see which trees do die, rather than 'slash and burn', so that resistant strains emerge and repopulate.

One of the issues with Dutch Elm disease was the lack of genetic diversity - most elms propagate asexually via suckers. There's still plenty of elm around - e.g. in Dacres Wood nature reserve - but it never gets very tall before the beetles get at it. Something I just learned from that link was that 'English' elms may have been a pre-historic introduction, associated with early settlements. This would tally with the lack of genetic diversity. If ash is a native species - which I think it is - then it's likely there will be reistant strains which will eventually restore ash woodlands.

I remember the impact of Dutch Elm disease where I grew up - suddenly the views became much more open - not necessarily for the worse. I wonder what species will initially replace them if we do loose 90% of our ash trees; sycamores initially, I'd guess. Generally speaking sycamore is not welcome. it's only a 17th century import, and so doesn't support the same ecological diversity as native species, although it does support a large biomass of invertebrates.

[Robin Orton]

I would like to ask why ? if this disease was not in this country until 3 ? Years ago, how the hell it was allowed to get here?
Why aren't our imports checked and double checked so this sort of problem does not occur!

Isn't the current theory that the spores (if that's the right word) were carried here by winds over the North Sea, rather than through infected imports? The last time I heard, all the cases found here were in the eastern counties, which would seem to support the wind-borne theory.

[Rachael]

Many of the Elms were replaced by...Ash.

The tree at the back of my garden has been displaying symptoms similar to Ash Die Back Disease for about two years. Now, it may not be the disease - there are no reported cases in London yet, as far as I know, although there are in Kent, which we are almost in (and once were). However, there is always the chance that this tree - which is very large - has the disease but is resistant. It is living with the disease, whatever it is - not very happily, but it's not dying either. So under the new programme, this tree would be left to see if it is indeed genetically resistant.

[Tim Lund]

I find it worrying that I (and a lot of others beside me no doubt) would struggle to identify an ash tree in the first place.

I think ash are some of the loveliest trees we have - it's hard to explain, but their leaves give a very distinctive texture to foliage, something to do with how light catches them high up, especially in a breeze.

There are two large trees at the end of back gardens near me, and one in the fence between me and neighbours one side, which I keep cut down.

Ash are easy to identify in winter - black velvety buds like this.

[Robin Orton]

I wonder what species will initially replace them if we do loose 90% of our ash trees; sycamores initially, I'd guess.

I heard someone suggest beech, but I guess only on certain kinds of soil.

I've just remembered this, from 'Puck of Pook's Hill'. Rather poignant, in the circumstances:

Of all the trees that grow so fair,
Old England to adorn,
Greater is none beneath the sun,
Than Oak, and Ash, and Thorn.
Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs,
(All of a Midsummer morn!)
Surely we sing of no little thing,
In Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

Oak of the Clay lived many a day,
Or ever Aeneas began.
Ash of the Loam was a Lady at home,
When Brut was an outlaw man.
Thorn of the Down saw New Troy Town
(From which was London born);
Witness hereby the ancientry
Of Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!
[...]

Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs
(All of a Midsummer morn)!
England shall bide till Judgement Tide,
By Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

[Annie.]

I would like to ask why ? if this disease was not in this country until 3 ? Years ago, how the hell it was allowed to get here?
Why aren't our imports checked and double checked so this sort of problem does not occur!

Isn't the current theory that the spores (if that's the right word) were carried here by winds over the North Sea, rather than through infected imports? The last time I heard, all the cases found here were in the eastern counties, which would seem to support the wind-borne theory.

I thought I had heard it had been imported by a plant importer?

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[Rachael]

According to the Forestry Commission, it is both - some cases traced back to nurseries, but those in East Anglia appear to have been wind-borne.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara#Further information

[Annie.]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up Rachael.

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