Ash trees are the second most common
tree in the United Kingdom, but a disease
is threatening to wipe out up to 80
percent of them . more than a million ash
trees are under threat from the fungal
disease, that could damage the UK’s tree
planting scheme , to meet its carbon Net
Zero Target by 2050. here’s an extra pot
Escape has inspired painters and Poets
alike,
but this predominantly Ash Woodland in
hack , Fall located in North Yorkshire is
said to be radically transformed by a
disease . that could kill 80 percent of
the ash trees.
Ash dieback is a disease that originated
in Asia , but it is said to have a
profound effect on trees in the United
Kingdom.
according to the Woodland trust, 80
percent of ash trees across the UK are
predicted to be affected with Ash die
back.
at a cost of billions for the management
of the crisis.
the effects will be staggering, it will
change the landscape forever and
threaten many species . which rely on ash,
so Ash dieback is a fungal disease that
actually originated in Asia and it’s
traveled all the way across Europe, and
into the UK through global trade. and
it’s affecting a significant number of
our ash trees . there’s about 126 million
ash trees across the UK and the disease
is expected to infect about 80 percent
of those . so it’s a really significant
proportion of our native ash trees.
experts warn that there will be a
knock-on effect , on all of the diverse
life dependent on those trees.
this is known as an Extinction Cascade
effect.
trees infected with Ash die back might
show symptoms such as a gray Brown Bark,
die back of the shoots leaves shedding
early in the season ,and New Growth
sprouting lower down the trunk. in
stressed trees most of the ash have got
some infection here ,and some severe that
have actually completely killed the
trees. it seems to be more apparent in
the lower slopes. where it gets a
slightly damper climate. so the sort of
fungal activity is generally higher in
some of the damp valleys ,and that’s
where we’ve seen such a lot of trees die
off in this this lower area.
the expert has found evidence of Ash die
back , on the tiny saplings. which could
have become the next generation of ash
trees at hack fall , but for now, the
future looks pretty much uncertain.
at first sight it is not obvious that
the saplings are diseased ,but after
examining the brownish gray color of the
branches , it is a clear sign
60 percent of the trees at hack fall are
ash . so it’s not hard to imagine that the
effects the disease will have on the
Woodland here.
ash trees infected with Ash dry back are
at much greater risk of falling over.
so there is a risk to the public walking
on the footpaths .there is nothing for it
but to cut the tree down.
trees away from footpaths are likely to
remain although cutting a tree down will
not prevent Ash die back from spreading.
but it is having a major impact on the
look of the Woodland.
the spores of the ash die back fungus
can travel for up to 10 miles on wind. so
the disease clearly spreads really fast.
their few Ash woodlands in the UK as
pretty as hack fall, but a sure number of
trees that could be potentially lost
across the UK is a matter of grief
concern.
for now Forest estate managers can only
watch and monitor the dieback , until the
time a world tries to tackle the ongoing
climate crisis. the risk of diseases like
ash dieback will be a constant threat.