Ash dieback is the most damaging tree disease since Dutch elm
Ash is the third most common broadleaved tree in Britain. There are an estimated 60 million ash trees outside woodlands in the UK. Ash dieback disease was first officially recorded in the UK in 2012 and has spread rapidly, with only a small fraction of trees proving resistant. Since the arrival of ash dieback, The Tree Council has led research into the early responses and coping strategies of public landowners to this widespread disease.
What is ash dieback disease?
Ash dieback is a highly destructive fungal disease affecting ash trees. It causes leaf loss and canopy decline and in some cases causes the trees to die. The disease was first officially recorded in the UK in 2012 and is now widespread across England, Wales and Scotland.
Download our toolkits
Action Plan Toolkit for Local Authorities
Second Edition
Five years on from the toolkit’s original publication, there is now a valuable opportunity to learn from new research and benefit from practical experience gained by local authorities and other key organisations. As such, an updated version of the toolkit has been compiled, bringing together the latest evidence and sharing up-to-date case studies. It is designed to help local authorities to meet new challenges and work through different considerations as they shift from planning and awareness to action and recovery.
Ash Works in Scotland
Supplementary Guidance Note
Produced by The Tree Council, on behalf of the Ash Dieback Risk Group (Scotland), and with the support of Scottish Forestry, this guidance note provides information on how ash dieback can affect the wood structure of infected ash trees. It shares observations and practical considerations from a range of experienced contractors and professional organisations, outlining how some tree work methods were adapted to reduce the risk to people working on them.
Downloadable guidance
Existing ash dieback action plans
Below is a list of some of the local existing ash dieback action in place in England. If you know of one that is not featured below, please email contact us so that we can add it.
The future of ash trees
A small proportion of ash trees may have what’s called ‘genetic tolerance’ to ash dieback, meaning they will survive and reproduce to create the next generation of trees. Therefore, tree owners have an important part to play in understanding the impacts of ash dieback on the environment and protecting tolerant and resistant trees and their associated wildlife wherever possible and safe to do so.
