The Tree Council has
developed a four-point plan to help local authorities fight ash dieback, the
most significant tree disease to hit the UK since Dutch Elm disease emerged in
the 1970s.
The plan, to be
circulated as an easy-to-use “toolkit”, is designed to:
- Raise awareness of the
disease
- Help councils create local
action plans
- Identify best practice for
managing non-woodland trees
- Advise on recovery and
creation of alternative treescapes
Ash is the third
most common tree in Britain and there are up to 60 million ash trees outside
woodlands in the UK. Ash dieback was first officially recorded in the UK in
2012, with only a small fraction of trees proving resistant.
The AshDieback Action Plan Toolkit, prepared by The Tree Council and Fera Science
Limited (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency) with the support of
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), brings together
guidance and case studies from local authorities already tackling the issue.
It urges local
authorities and others managing the landscape to address the threat now, rather
than believing ash dieback can be managed as part of “business as usual”. The
plan draws attention not only to the significant economic and environmental
impacts, but also to the dangers dead and dying trees pose to human health and
safety.
The plan, a living
document that will be updated as scientists and local authorities discover more
about the disease, is launched today. It encourages authorities to recruit
volunteer local environmentalists to help in identifying the scale of the
problem.
Sara Lom, CEO of The
Tree Council, launching the Toolkit, said: “It’s essential we support local
authorities to manage the risks posed by the death of ash trees throughout the
country. It’s a very real challenge, not only for them but also for our wonderful
British treescape. We want our volunteer Tree Wardens to work with local
authorities to help monitor and report on diseased trees and support replanting
efforts.
“Since ash dieback
was first discovered in 2012, we have been working collaboratively with sectors
that will be impacted by the disease.”
Ash dieback is
caused by the Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
fungus. It results in leaf loss, crown dieback and bark lesions. Mortality
rates of up to 85% have recently been reported on some sites across Europe.
However, a small proportion of trees are showing tolerance to the disease, and
Defra are funding research on the mechanisms behind this which may allow
tolerant UK ash trees to be bred for the future.
