Dieback and other ash musings

[Hank]

I've been removing young ash trees on a farm the past couple of days, nothing larger than 10 inch diameter, but the landowner has asked me to fell a bigger one he says is too rotten and dead to risk leaving up.

 

I don't know a lot about dieback but I also don't see this particular tree as more of a risk than any of the others. No footpath or public access around it, I'd rather leave it be. Thoughts?
 

 

[Rough Cutter]

Firewood the lot...😁

[5thelement]

4 minutes ago, Hank said:

I've been removing young ash trees on a farm the past couple of days, nothing larger than 10 inch diameter, but the landowner has asked me to fell a bigger one he says is too rotten and dead to risk leaving up.

 

I don't know a lot about dieback but I also don't see this particular tree as more of a risk than any of the others. No footpath or public access around it, I'd rather leave it be. Thoughts?
 

 

Have you inspected it to confirm it is dead and rotten? Although valuable as habitat, the farm owner might prefer the value in his pocket, or rather not leave it standing and risk it failing later, damaging neighbouring trees and creating a more time consuming clear up. His woodland, his call I suppose.

[Mark Bolam]

Spot on 5th, drop it in the right direction now while it’s still relatively easy.

And safer.

[Hank]

Is there not an argument for leaving it? It clearly has dieback but I'm not qualified to say exactly how dead and rotten it is. 
 

It'll become firewood and if it were to fail they wouldn't be fussed if it went into the woodland behind it apparently. 
 

Is there a typical age/maturity of ash trees that are prevailing against dieback? There are certainly some older ash trees in the area that seem to be doing well.

[Paul in the woods]

In my experience once it's showing obvious signs of die back it'll be dead in a year or two and fall quickly so not a long term prospect of standing deadwood.