Eighty year-old ash tree (furthest from camera) taken down due to ash die back.
What is ash dieback?
Ash dieback is a disease that affects ash trees, caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. The fungus has two stages to its lifecycle - a sexual stage, which helps the fungus spread, and an asexual stage, which is what grows on the tree and causes damage. The fungus blocks water transport in the tree, leading to lesions in the bark, leaf loss and the dieback of the crown.
Ash dieback fungus is believed to have originated in Asia. It was first discovered in Europe in Poland in 1992, and is now found widely across the continent. The first confirmed case in the UK came in 2012, since when it has spread across England and to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man.
The Wildlife Trusts
