The arrival in the United Kingdom (UK) of the Hymenoscyphus fraxineus fungus, which causes Chalara ash dieback, has created an uncertain future for our native ‘common’ ash (Fraxinus excelsior) as a woodland, hedgerow and urban tree species.

There is evidence, though, that with good science and management, ash will continue to feature in our landscapes, and this manual has been written in support of this goal. It:

• provides practical advice on slowing the spread and minimising the impact of the disease for anybody with a responsibility for the management of ash, whether in woodlands, hedgerows, parks and gardens, or individual trees;
• includes help for those growing ash for the timber market; and
• is based on the expert knowledge of our own and other UK researchers and practitioners, and is informed by experience from continental Europe, where the disease has been present for longer.

Action will depend very much on owners’ and managers’ objectives. The advice given here is therefore neither exhaustive nor prescriptive, and it will be revised as our knowledge and understanding of the disease develops.

Contents:

1. Introduction and contents – this page

2. Managing ash trees and woodland, including logs and firewood

3. Pictures

• Back to Chalara ash dieback main resources page