Ash dieback

[averagearborist]

Here is a recent journal entry looking at the current thoughts on responses to H. fraxinea, and the outlook for species composition in the medium and long term.

https://academic.oup.com/forestry/advance-article/doi/10.1093/forestry/cpy040/5161158

[Stere]

Ivys really having a field day now on all the hegderow dying ash trees and trees with thinning crowns.

 

Loads of it everywhere.

 

Also seems to become more dominant in the last few yrs esp in hegdes the are flailed alot (several times a yr) compared to hegdes less regularly cut.

 

Maybe climate related also.......

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by Stere

[banjohedge]

As the die back spreads and there are more and more of you out there with experience of dealing with a lot diseased trees, I am interested in any tips on felling them. Ash is already a bit dodge felling wise but with ones that are very infected there is extra care required I would have thought. CutterSy mentioned hitting with wedges are not good.....has anyone else good tips, experiences or techniques picked up dealing with infected Ash trees? 

[doobin]

11 minutes ago, banjohedge said:

As the die back spreads and there are more and more of you out there with experience of dealing with a lot diseased trees, I am interested in any tips on felling them. Ash is already a bit dodge felling wise but with ones that are very infected there is extra care required I would have thought. CutterSy mentioned hitting with wedges are not good.....has anyone else good tips, experiences or techniques picked up dealing with infected Ash trees? 

Use a digger to push em over once you've put the cuts in.

[banjohedge]

Not always possible. I was felling some larch in amongst some Ash and if they only brushed the Ash branches when falling the whole branch just cracked off back to the main stem. If the main stem is that brittle too then a different approach is definitely needed. 

[sime42]

Ivys really having a field day now on all the hegderow dying ash trees and trees with thinning crowns.
 
Loads of it everywhere.
 
Also seems to become more dominant in the last few yrs esp in hegdes the are flailed alot (several times a yr) compared to hegdes less regularly cut.
 
Maybe climate related also.......
 

I thought I'd been noticing more ivy around the place as well over the years. I'd be interested to know why exactly. Factors might be climate, lack of maintenance, hedging techniques etc. Same thing with brambles too, I'm sure there's more of them around in woodlands. Anyone else noticed that? I've heard speculation that that might be climate or agriculture related, too much nitrate on the land maybe.

[Treerover]

Not always possible. I was felling some larch in amongst some Ash and if they only brushed the Ash branches when falling the whole branch just cracked off back to the main stem. If the main stem is that brittle too then a different approach is definitely needed. 

Yes I’ve noticed that even early on in their infection the limbs go incredibly brittle despite still looking ‘almost’ healthy .
Very difficult to get direction on the hinge as a result . Behaves like Sycamore rather than Ash sometimes .
I think winch where you are able to and don’t be too hopeful of getting your biased hinges etc to work like they used to on these infected trees.
I can see us having to dismantle some grim ones in the ensuing years .

[Mrblue5000]

On 25/10/2020 at 09:00, Stere said:

Ivys really having a field day now on all the hegderow dying ash trees and trees with thinning crowns.

 

Loads of it everywhere.

 

Also seems to become more dominant in the last few yrs esp in hegdes the are flailed alot (several times a yr) compared to hegdes less regularly cut.

 

Maybe climate related also.......

I think one reason for the ivy increase might be due to electric fencing along both sides of gappy hedges to keep livestock in. If they get a chance at this time of year they will eat ivy and haws, but if the electric fence stops them reaching it the ivy gets away very quickly. 

[King92]

Spent the last two weeks Cutting Ash With dieback In Gwynedd, North wales on one site. Doing the Majority with a 18M mewp or a 60Ton crane and 8men.

Over 65 trees all together very happy with the outcome ?

I was going to Upload pictures but i cant figure out how too 

 

For anyone that needs a Quote or an extra hand on Ash Dieback chalara In our area (North wales, Gwynedd) let me know, 07858522746 or email [email protected]

 

 

[Undercut]

Is the best option to fell sooner and retrieve some decent wood?
There doesn’t seem much logic in leaving the trees for years to deteriorate and become harder more dangerous to fell , all the ash around here is infected bad , and I’ve not seen any being felled due to chalara,it’s terminal is it not?