Ash die back

[westphalian]

What’s the oldest/biggest ash you have seen with die back?

[arbogrunt]

a whole wood of mature Ash, these trees are about 70-80' tall and about 30-36k inch diameter. Its called West Wood and is an Essex Wildlife Trust reserve just outside Thaxted in Essex. Chalara has decimated this woodland and extensive clear felling has been taking place for the last couple of years.

[westphalian]

Bloody hell

I’ve just discovered it in my wood. There will be nowt but sycamores left then as I’m felling the spruce, pine and larch.

Anyone know what percentage survive? I’ve been reading up on it but no details on F.C. site

[Adam M]

Seeing absolutely loads of mature ash by the a31 looking stag-headed, sparse, epicormics midway down branches. 20m tall. Regen is all shagged. Think this year will be miserable. 

[the village idiot]

All the Ash are crippled in the Wood I manage in Suffolk.

 

200 acres, predominantly Ash.

 

There may be some resistant trees but I haven't spotted any in the last couple of years.

[Gray git]

No confirmed up top of North Yorkshire but over 70% of our roadside tree stock are big mature ash, if they all suffer it'll be a nightmare dealing with them or getting Landowners to safely do the work to prevent failure onto the roads.
We could end up very busy but the countryside will be a very different place without them all.

[openspaceman]

3 minutes ago, Gray git said:

No confirmed up top of North Yorkshire but over 70% of our roadside tree stock are big mature ash, if they all suffer it'll be a nightmare dealing with them or getting Landowners to safely do the work to prevent failure onto the roads.

I started at the tail end of the elm disease, so there were a lot of long dead elms to fell for a few years. The thing was the elm retained a lot of their strength, the fibres were strong and hinges worked well. Also branches seldom shed during felling.

 

I feel ash will be a very different kettle of fish as it will have deteriorated well before the decision to fell. The fibres will fail short and the hinge won't stand wedges (and the vibration from hammering  them may well cause branches to shed).

[Gray git]

I started at the tail end of the elm disease, so there were a lot of long dead elms to fell for a few years. The thing was the elm retained a lot of their strength, the fibres were strong and hinges worked well. Also branches seldom shed during felling.
 
I feel ash will be a very different kettle of fish as it will have deteriorated well before the decision to fell. The fibres will fail short and the hinge won't stand wedges (and the vibration from hammering  them may well cause branches to shed).

Driving up the dales yesterday evening and looking at some of the wide squat crowns along the roadside just thinking that'll be a pain and the next and the next....
Big wagon with a grapple saw needed!

[Gary Prentice]

10 hours ago, Gray git said:

No confirmed up top of North Yorkshire but over 70% of our roadside tree stock are big mature ash, if they all suffer it'll be a nightmare dealing with them or getting Landowners to safely do the work to prevent failure onto the roads.
We could end up very busy but the countryside will be a very different place without them all.

It will be, but nature evolves. In a few hundred years there will probably be mature ash around that are resistant or tolerant to the fungus and life goes on. Maybe we just think about things in our time, not tree time.

 

It does show the importance in the urban situation of the need for a rich species diversity. The planting palette used by landscape architects and town planners is far to narrow generally.

[Gary Prentice]

How quick does this develop in mature trees? I seem to remember some advice somewhere that matures trees could survive for quite a few years with it, before they have to go.

 

We're just starting to see it in saplings up here.

Edited May 17, 2018 by Gary Prentice