Pragmatic approach to dealing with Ash trees

[Woodworks]

So we have 3km of Devon hedgerow with a fair bit of ash in it. We let all or hedges grow tall and then harvest for fuel as opposed to flailing. Up until this year, Chalara was not especially evident but sadly this spring it's looking pretty widespread. From what I have read we are supposed to leave them standing and hope some survive (5%) but is coppicing now going to make much difference to their long term chances? Not keen on losing many tonnes of potential firewood or cleaning up the mess of dead trees. Its evident many woodlands are clearing ash in advance of Chalara if the amount of ash in the firewood market is anything to go by so wondering about doing the same. 

[slack ma girdle]

Genetically Ash is very diverse, so there will be resilient trees out there, knee jerk sanatising felling will remove these trees. But at the end of the day they are your trees, and your choice.

[Woodworks]

3 minutes ago, slack ma girdle said:

Genetically Ash is very diverse, so there will be resilient trees out there, knee jerk sanatising felling will remove these trees. But at the end of the day they are your trees, and your choice.

They are of an age they would normally coppice and regrow. I just have no idea how they will react with Chalara in the equation.

[slack ma girdle]

Chalara does kill very effectively regrow. One of the woods that I manage that was thinned three years ago, I have found one or two ash stumps with viable regrow within the compartment.

[Woodworks]

1 minute ago, slack ma girdle said:

Chalara does kill very effectively regrow. One of the woods that I manage that was thinned three years ago, I have found one or two ash stumps with viable regrow within the compartment.

So is it more vulnerable regrowing or left mature? I know stuff all about tree health so apologies if the answer is obvious

[Big J]

So many trees around here in East/Mid Devon with barely any growth on them this spring. Variable within stands and rows, but the demise is self-evident and severe. 

 

If you're not allowing them to grow too tall then they aren't going to be a safety issue so I'd perhaps just continue on as you have been. 

[MattyF]

Give the things a chance !! I’ve seen them not come out until mid June ! Every one jumping on this fell it it’s got challara needs to chill out... even if it has we need to give the resilient ones a chance, any way felling hedge row trees now in prime nesting season ??

[Big J]

1 minute ago, MattyF said:

Give the things a chance !! I’ve seen them not come out until mid June ! Every one jumping on this fell it it’s got challara needs to chill out... even if it has we need to give the resilient ones a chance, any way felling hedge row trees now in prime nesting season ??

A lot of them are pretty much stone dead here. Spring is about 3-4 weeks ahead down here compared to the North East.

[Woodworks]

 

 

1

21 minutes ago, MattyF said:

 any way felling hedge row trees now in prime nesting season ??

No intention of felling now just planning my autumn work. 

[skyhuck]

I have never seen the Ash so far behind the Oak. I've watched them both most of my life, as my dad always used to tell the old "Oak before Ash and we're in for an splash, Ash before Oak and we'er in for a soak" ditty.

 

In my experience the Oak and Ash generally come into leaf pretty much together, sure I've seen them both leaf very late, but together or with a few days of each other. This year the Oak have been out for weeks and many Ash have nothing, others only just starting to leaf.

 

It is probably the driest spring I can recall, after a pretty dry winter and of cause the very dry summer last year. Don't think I've ever known the land so dry. I guess with Ash having very low water content in the timber, this dryness is having an affect?