Ash tree disease...

[Archie_tect]

Can anyone please explain why it was ever thought necessary (or desirable) to import 7,000,000 Ash saplings into this country when we have a native population of some 80,000,000 productive specimens already?

Can't say I Iike our native tree's invasive ability to seed anywhere and grow up through shrub beds with a really strong tap root, but even so, killing them all off is a bit harsh!

 

[Davidc]

Why would he win? The major threat is from fungus which blew in across the north sea, and I don't think even this government can be held responsible for that!

 

[dellzeqq]

in fairness to DEFRA (and I'd never thought I'd type that) the fungus would have arrived here some time or other. It seems that the only thing to do is to harvest the ash for its commercial value.

 

[srw]

Is it just me, or was the decision to call a meeting of COBRA over a disease to a tree which is a minor contributor to the economy and which doesn't threaten national security just a teensy bit of an over-reaction?

 

[ASC1951]

Why would he win? The major threat is from fungus which blew in across the north sea, and I don't think even this government can be held responsible for that!

I think you misunderstand. The basis of his claim is that he informed DEFRA that some of his trees were affected but for several weeks they refused him permission to destroy them, by which time a lot more of his trees were damaged. That seems a perfectly sensible basis of claim, if true.

 

[Maz]

Can anyone please explain why it was ever thought necessary (or desirable) to import 7,000,000 Ash saplings into this country when we have a native population of some 80,000,000 productive specimens already?

Anything to do with the Olympics, I wonder? What with all the landscaping and stuff.
Pure guesswork admittedly.

 

[Archie_tect]

Import trees? With the nursery stock levels of standard and heavy standard in the UK... just for ash samplings? I could understand bringing in oak or more exotic varieties, or even maple varieties or lime by the lorry-load but not boring old ash trees.... even Mountain Ash [Rowan] are only interesting in Autumn.

 

[Davidc]

Is it just me, or was the decision to call a meeting of COBRA over a disease to a tree which is a minor contributor to the economy and which doesn't threaten national security just a teensy bit of an over-reaction?

If we lose lots of them it'll change the appearance of the countryside, and in places make it bare for some years.

I've looked ash up (admittedly only superficially) and found listings of what other species eat it, live in it, live on it, and of substances produced by and absorbed by it. I may be wrong but I can't see anything which, as a result of its biology, is going to be threatened with extinction through loss of support or habitat if we lose most of our ash trees. Inconvenienced but not threatened.

I couldn't find anything much about its economic value, though there do appear to be commercial uses for ash

I'd be sad to see ash trees in decline and Its good to see action being taken, but I have to agree with the comment I've boldened. It's hardly a threat to our national survival.

 

[dellzeqq]

 

[Archie_tect]

Mind you they are marginally more attractive than sycamores.... now there's a tree that shouldn't have been introduced.... stupid Romans!

 

[Archie_tect]

All the nice stuff in our house is ash... it's fine when new but goes just as yellow as birch with age. :{

 

[Davidc]

Mind you they are marginally more attractive than sycamores.... now there's a tree that shouldn't have been introduced.... stupid Romans!

At least they're not conifers.

 

[Archie_tect]

I've got a 100 foot ash tree to take out but not due to this virus... it's just over-mature and on it's last legs.

 

[Davidc]

it's just over-mature and on it's last legs.

Glad I don't live in your garden!

 

[ASC1951]

I'd be sad to see ash trees in decline and Its good to see action being taken, but I have to agree with the comment I've boldened. It's hardly a threat to our national survival.

Ash trees have been around a lot longer than we have and will be around long after we have gone. On that time scale, they will be just fine.