Ash dieback fungus found in UK

[Stringmaker]

Be afraid folks........

There is talk now of banning the public from woodlands in an attempt to try and stop the spread.

The back covering has also begun, with allegations from various people that the last government were warned about the biosecurity risks of large scale ash imports four years ago.

I am intensely aware of all the ash trees I see on my commute (which is probably hundreds), and almost view them as condemned men now...

 

[Fat Rog]

Be afraid folks........

There is talk now of banning the public from woodlands in an attempt to try and stop the spread.

Ridiculous. I mean, if the suspicion is that people are inadvertently carrying spores around on their kit from infected sites to uninfected sites, aren't those same spores just as likely to be carried around by birds? How are they going to regulate the movement of wildlife? A cull?

I don't know of any cases around where I live, but will keep a look out. Who do we contact if we suspect /can positively identify an infected tree in our locality, Forestry Comission? EA? Land owner?

 

[demographic]

After Dutch Elm disease how the hell come we didn't close down imports of ash? Its not as if we didn't have enough warning about it.
Jeez, this place is an island, should be a doddle to stop imports of infected trees.

Admittedly you can't stop migration of birds but lets have some sense here.

Stable, door, horse well gone anyone?

 

[Imagedude]

I've heard a nasty rumour that infected trees will not be allowed to be processed for firewood, they'll need to be destroyed or buried where they're felled. I'm going to be procative and fell my ash trees in the next few weeks. I'll plant some sycamore in their place. Now do I buy myself a 70cc chainsaw to process these 36" diameter trees or go for a bigger 90cc saw?

 

[nuggets]

bang in a few copper nails !! That way the co2 off set you have saved from using your chainsaws should save you an ear bashing from the tree huggers

 

[Imagedude]

bang in a few copper nails !! That way the co2 off set you have saved from using your chainsaws should save you an ear bashing from the tree huggers

They'll be ripping up the hedges for fuel with the rest of us once the oil runs out.

 

[Geoff Dann]

I've heard a nasty rumour that infected trees will not be allowed to be processed for firewood, they'll need to be destroyed or buried where they're felled. I'm going to be procative and fell my ash trees in the next few weeks. I'll plant some sycamore in their place. Now do I buy myself a 70cc chainsaw to process these 36" diameter trees or go for a bigger 90cc saw?

Don't plant sycamore! Plant something native!

Sycamore does not need any help. It plants itself all over the place.

 

[Geoff Dann]

After Dutch Elm disease how the hell come we didn't close down imports of ash? Its not as if we didn't have enough warning about it.
Jeez, this place is an island, should be a doddle to stop imports of infected trees.

Admittedly you can't stop migration of birds but lets have some sense here.

Stable, door, horse well gone anyone?

Yes, it is far too late to stop it now.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Trees actually thrive much more under our management than without, naturally they all compete against each other but in the end over crowd themselves until no trees can grow properly. This is especially true of slow growing trees that never stand a chance.

Rubbish. Complete and utter nonsense. Trees do not need human management of forests in order to thrive. They will do just fine and dandy all on their own.

How do you think the slow-growing trees coped before humans turned up? Why do you think there is natural yew forest in the UK?

I'm not saying its a good thing but it is natural (unlike the extinction of most animals which is directly or indirectly caused by humans) many trees live with fungi and many will slowly die its just that this strain of fungi is particularly effective at overcoming the trees defense systems. Once upon a time there were probably birch trees killed quickly by tinder fungus but now surviving trees infected last years.


The spread of infection may be faster but so will be the rate of recovery. That doesnt mean we shouldn't try to stop it, but it also means it is not an ecological catastrophe.

Provided other (native) trees are planted, or allowed to grow, in place of the dead ash trees then it will not be an ecological catastrophe. It will just be very bad news for species which depend on ash (such as morels.)

 

[Geoff Dann]

We contain animal pathogens, such as foot and mouth, or rabies, by quarantine. How do we quarantine trees though

Brighton's elm trees were naturally quarantined by the lack of much elm in the areas of The Weald to the north. The beetles that spread the disease can't fly very far - certainly not as far as fungal spores can travel. Any sign of infection and elm trees are felled the next day. But a combination of "natural quarantine" and vigilance has meant that Brighton still has the biggest collection of healthy elm trees anywhere in western Europe. Not that the locals appreciate this, of course...

 

[Stringmaker]

I've heard a nasty rumour that infected trees will not be allowed to be processed for firewood, they'll need to be destroyed or buried where they're felled. I'm going to be procative and fell my ash trees in the next few weeks. I'll plant some sycamore in their place. Now do I buy myself a 70cc chainsaw to process these 36" diameter trees or go for a bigger 90cc saw?

They may not even be felled.

The FC chap overseeing the infected site near me was on the radio saying that the felling may actually disperse the spores even further and faster.

Whether you're being provocative or not; if you have the land and space then plant anything other than sycamore!

 

[stuey]

More info on identification here.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded& hl=en&v=y1GpufLkBto&gl=US[/video]

 

[stuey]

And more info on the disease history here

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf8fll_DWOM&feature=ch annel&list=UL[/video]

 

[treadlightly]

More info on identification here.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded& hl=en&v=y1GpufLkBto&gl=US[/video]

That is very useful, thank you.

 

[stuey]

That is very useful, thank you.

No problem

We are dealing with an increased volume of calls from concerned members of the public. The whole pubilc release of this is really badly timed though given that the prime symptom is leaf loss and we are now very much into autumn here with leaves falling heavily! When I first posted about this in this thread http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97129 we were already on the look-out and it would have been easier to spot. Thankfully no signs yet here.

Email has just been circulated at work contains following statement about firewood etc :

"The ban is on import and movement of ash plants, seeds and trees. Timber and firewood are exempt, except where they come from places where infection has been found (in the wild, just two woods so far, one in Norfolk, one in Suffolk)."

 

[Chris the Cat]

Nice work Stuey, thanks for posting.
Best.
C.

 

[Toddy]

Thank you Stuey appreciated

cheers,
MM

 

[Nalsheen]

A way of reporting the disease here:

http://ashtag.org/

Hope its helpful.

 

[Zingmo]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=8sI7hgFZ-4g&desktop_uri=/watch?v=8sI7hgFZ-4g&gl=GBIdentification video.

Now I have to go and wash my children!

Z

 

[Jared]

Do wonder what impact it'll have. And people/places like Morris of Dunsford that use Dartmoor ash for their tool (billhook etc) handles.