Ash die-back, Chalara fraxinea, is a serious disease of Ash trees. It has spread all over Europe and one scientist has suggested that our country could be the only one in the whole of Europe with any Ash trees remaining. This is providing we keep the disease out, yet it has just been found in a wildlife trust wood in Norfolk where the disease has killed many coppice stools.
It is essential to stop imports of ash saplings from Europe but our government is still 'consulting'. In the meantime the fears are it is only a matter of time before we have a devastation worse than Dutch Elm disease.
MP for Huddersfield is taking it seriously http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2012-10-24/yorkshire-mp-demands-ban-on-ash-saplings/
ReplyDeleteand the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/oct/24/ash-dieback-disease-east-anglia?newsfeed=true
The Government is banning imports of ash saplings from Monday.
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