Tree Felling Longridge

Saying goodbye to two ash trees in Longridge due to ash dieback. ❄️ Frosty Longridge providing us with the best scenery to work around.

What is Ash Dieback

Ash dieback, scientifically known as Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (formerly Chalara fraxinea), is a devastating fungal disease that affects ash trees (Fraxinus species). It is caused by an invasive fungal pathogen originally from Asia.

Ash dieback manifests primarily through the following symptoms:

• Leaf Symptoms: Affected trees often exhibit wilting, browning, and premature shedding of leaves, particularly in the upper crown. Leaves may develop dark spots or lesions, and their edges may curl or become necrotic.
• Shoot Dieback: Branches and shoots may experience dieback, resulting in reduced foliage density and overall canopy decline.
• Bark Lesions: Infected trees may develop characteristic diamond-shaped lesions on the bark, often accompanied by fungal fruiting bodies (known as apothecia) that appear as tiny, black dots.
• Cankers: As the disease progresses, it can lead to the formation of sunken areas or cankers on the trunk and branches, disrupting the tree’s vascular system and ultimately causing branch dieback and tree death.

Ash dieback can spread rapidly through airborne fungal spores, as well as through the movement of infected plant material, such as saplings or firewood. Once established in an area, it poses a significant threat to ash populations, with potential ecological and economic impacts.

Efforts to manage ash dieback typically involve a combination of strategies, including the removal and destruction of infected trees, monitoring and surveillance programs to track disease spread, research into resistant tree varieties, and public awareness campaigns to prevent further dissemination of the pathogen.

Given the severity of ash dieback and its potential consequences for ecosystems, it remains a significant concern for foresters and conservationists.