Since its discovery in the UK in late 2012, ash dieback has advanced through the English countryside at an alarming rate, as Will Page of Corylus Environmental and Planning explains
The spread and potential impact of ash dieback has been likened to the effects of Dutch elm disease which substantially changed the landscape of Southern England, killing over 25 million trees in the late 20th century. Over half of England is now known to be infected with ash dieback disease and it is believed that little can be done to prevent its inevitable spread across the entire country.
Our region is set to be amongst the hardest hit, as ash trees have long been a familiar landscape feature in our ancient woodlands and hedgerows. Woodland is estimated to cover over 10% of the Cotswolds A.O.N.B (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) with ash being the predominant species that makes up a quarter of all specimens within the region. To see them wiped from the Cotswolds will have a significant effect on the character and natural beauty of the landscape that has become so special to so many of us.
WHAT IS ASH DIEBACK?
Ash dieback, also known as Chalara dieback, occurs due to the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which is spread in the wind by spores. It causes infected trees to suffer leaf loss, crown dieback and lesions on the bark, all of which will normally result in their demise. Younger trees are often the first to succumb whilst older specimens have shown some resilience that tends to prolong the infection for several years before death.
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