Shoots of hope for Britain's cherished ash trees

Helen brrigs

Environmental Correspondent, BBC News,@hbriggs

Ash Diaback is a disease of ash trees, caused by a fungus

Getty image is hanging against a blue background from a browning ash leaf a tree. The leaves are withering and dying. — Ash Diaback is a disease of ash trees, caused by a fungus

Ash trees are fighting back against a disease that has destroyed the British rural areas, showing new scientific evidence.

When Ash Diaback came in 2012, it was estimated that 85% of ash trees could lose. It spread to every corner of the British islands, causing widespread damage to the Woodlands.

But now scientists have discovered that Ash Woodlands are naturally developing more resistance to fungal infections.

This discovery provides new hope that the very preferred trees will remain part of the British scenario – but a hopes “Born out of the death of a lot of trees”, said Richard Bugs, Professor of Royal Botanic Garden Kev and Queen Mary University of London.

Ash Diaback has spread rapidly in Britain

Getty images stand against other branches and leaves bare trunk of a tree. — Ash Diaback has spread rapidly in Britain

He said other interventions would be required to help ash trees, such as preventing trees from grazing deer and breeding the most flexible trees for future planting schemes.

“We have the fresh inspiration to take care of our ash population, to protect our ash population from other problems such as browsing, and to develop trees with more resistance,” told BBC News.

Ash Diaback Fungians originated in Asia and was introduced in Europe about 30 years ago.

The signs of the disease can be seen through withering and blurred leaves. In many cases, fungus disease will eventually kill the tree.

A study of ash trees in a woodland in Surrey revealed subtle changes in separate genes over time, which should help fight new plants – suggesting that they were developing more resistance to the disease than their predecessors.

Richard Nichols, professor at Evolutionary Genetics at Queen Mary University in London, said that “a tragedy for trees has been a revelation for scientists – allowing us to show us that thousands of genes are contributing to the battle of ash trees against fungus”.

Study was done in Mardon Park Wood in Surrey

Paul Figg © RBG Kev Trees have been highlighted against a blue sky with white clouds. Some branches are covered in a green grocery. Other skeletons are and are stripped bare, only brown tights have been seen. — Study was done in Mardon Park Wood in Surrey

Ash Diaback indicates how the Woodland Trust’s Rebecca Gosling, how can the destructive pathogens for our trees and those species that can rely on them.

He said, “Conclusions throw light on how important it is to support natural uplift in Woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to manage our Ash Woodlands.”

Scientists had feared that the ash would go on the path of Elm, which was almost erased from Dutch Elm disease.

The loss of native tree also had a devastating effect on biodiversity.

Published in research journal Science.