Ash Dieback Disease (Chalara fraxinea) in Ireland

Oldtree

http://newsletter.ie/run/v3.aspx?x=5896-2764-39#toc3

Teagasc newsletter states "If you planted ash trees in the last ten years, Teagasc advises to give your ash trees a quick 'health check' over the next few months."

why 10 years?
two possibilities I can think of are:
It is now known that we have been importing infected trees for at least 10 years
or
It is now known that the disease can take up to 10 years to show up on imported infected trees

Rovi

First confirmed cases in hedgerow trees:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2013/october/title,72060,en.html

The Department today confirmed that trees have tested positive from both internal hedgerows within the first confirmed positive plantation and a hedgerow tree that is external to the plantation, in County Leitrim.

It doesn't say if the trees are/were wild or planted, but it's not a good development either way

Oldtree

I think they would have jumped on pointing it out if the external infected ash tree could have been proven to be planted.

It says ash plantation trees planted in 2009, so less than 4 years to move to non plantation (hedgerow) tree external to the plantation site.

I wonder what the "comprehensive eradication plan into place immediately" means exactly. A clearance of ash trees surrounding these infected plantations may slow this thing down somewhat. How far will this ring of fire extend and what is that distance based on?

I would also like to know how many ash trees surrounding the infected plantation were tested, out to what distance from the plantation were the tests carried out and the total number of ash trees in the sample area? Also the rational behind the size of the sample area?

St. Leibowitz

Does anyone know where this plantation is in Leitrim ??

Oldtree

no specific locations have been released by the Dept.

Oldtree

JohnBoy

has anyone here seen chalara, in the flesh so to speak?

I'm worried...... (pics are clickable to big versions, 3.5mb each)














Or is this just autumn and I'm being paranoid?

tabby aspreme

Its hard to tell as ash loose the leaves early, the grass frosts last week would blacken the leaves

JohnBoy

it's more the blackening of the leaf stem that's worrying me.


To be honest, if this thing is as inevitable as it seems to be I'd rather just get rid of the damm things now.

The beech in our little plantation seems to be performing quite well so if we have to re-plant then let's just re-plant. The waiting is a disaster.

Oldtree

I'd be inclined to get on to the forestry asap if you are worried, there isnt enough in the photos to get a diagnosis here.

Oldtree

Some further details on the recently found hedgerow tree in Leitrim:

"The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the first case of the killer ash dieback disease in a native Irish tree has been found.
All ash trees in hedgerows within 250m of the plantation are to be taken out and burned or buried."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/1007/478900-ash-dieback/

250m dosn't seem like much to me for a wind blown pathogen, I wonder how that distance was arrived at?

Oldtree

And these worrying nuggets:

IFA Farm Forestry Chairman Michael Fleming said he has serious concerns about the lack of progress by the Forest Service to contain the spread of the Ash Dieback disease. “It is unacceptable that infected plantations and associated plantations that were confirmed earlier in the year have yet to be removed. The lack of progress directly contravenes the Forest Service control strategy to promptly contain and manage infected plantations to halt the spread of the disease to healthy ash trees”.

He said, “Forest owners are not responsible for introduction of the disease, which can be traced to the importation of infected ash plants and inadequate monitoring by the Forest Service.

The fact that plantations are still only being cleared in late September shows the eradication programme is not being managed effectively and is endangering the entire ash estate.


http://www.ifa.ie/Sectors/Forestry/tabid/615/ctl/Detail/mid/2316/xmid/5921/xmfid/23/Default.aspx

TopTec

Oldtree wrote: »

"The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the first case of the killer ash dieback disease in a native Irish tree has been found.
All ash trees in hedgerows within 250m of the plantation are to be taken out and burned or buried."

250m dosn't seem like much to me for a wind blown pathogen, I wonder how that distance was arrived at?

Have to agree. Especially when I saw on the news this morning that the UK Forestry Commission has set up a testing area on the coast of Sussex and they expect spores to be blown in on the wind from the continent..... 30+ miles away!

TT

Oldtree

TopTec wrote: »

Have to agree. Especially when I saw on the news this morning that the UK Forestry Commission has set up a testing area on the coast of Sussex and they expect spores to be blown in on the wind from the continent..... 30+ miles away!

TT

Seems a bit of an obvious conclusion (discussed previously on this thread) given the amount of wider environment sites (red dots) noted on the FC map in the south east of England compared to the rest of the country:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/UK_outbreak_map_13-10-21_Map2b.pdf/$FILE/UK_outbreak_map_13-10-21_Map2b.pdf

reverenddave

JohnBoy wrote: »

has anyone here seen chalara, in the flesh so to speak?

I'm worried...... (pics are clickable to big versions, 3.5mb each)














Or is this just autumn and I'm being paranoid?

i think it's just autumn !!!

if you have a smart phone you can download an app called Ashtag

Oldtree

reverenddave wrote: »

i think it's just autumn !!!

if you have a smart phone you can download an app called Ashtag

Nonetheless it would be appropriate to get a professional assessment when it comes to someone else's plantation which may be under threat!
Ashtag is not a diagnostic tool and is for UK trees.

reverenddave

It has an identification guide
Which is a major help !!!

Fraxinus excelsior is the same nomatter where its planted

And last time i looked outside it is autumn (all be it a pretty funny one)

Oldtree

reverenddave wrote: »

i think it's just autumn !!!

My point is "I think" or using any home diagnostics is not an appropriate measure when it comes to the real world issue of someone potentially losing their plantation. If anyone is in anyway concerned they must contact the forestry for a professional opinion. Apart from the replant grant, the spread of ash dieback still has the possibility of being stymied somewhat in this country by vigilance.

JohnBoy

Well we asked our forester, and he said it was just autumn. so my paranoia shall abate for another 6 months.

Rovi

Balls

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2013/october/title,72457,en.html

Following confirmation of a finding of Ash Dieback (Chalara fraxinea) in Ireland in October 2012 (on plants imported from continental Europe), an ongoing major survey of ash has been carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This included targeted and systematic ash surveys of plantations, nurseries, roadsides, landscape and farm landscape plantings and hedgerows. To date there have been a total of 101 confirmed finding’s of the disease located throughout the country.


Current update table on Chalara:

Location type
Number of Confirmed findings

Forestry Plantations
40

Horticultural Nurseries
17

Garden Centres
4

Private Garden
3

Farm landscaping/Agri-envir schemes
15

Roadside landscaping
20

Hedgerow *
2

Total
101


*One hedgerow ash positive site (Leitrim) within and near former infected ash plantation and one ash hedgerow (Tipperary) near infected farm landscaping shelterbelt

As part of the surveillance effort a systematic survey of Ireland’s hedgerows as well as a targeted survey of hedgerows surrounding infected plantations was carried out. Following confirmation of the first hedgerow infection earlier this month in County Leitrim the Department today confirmed a second infected ash hedgerow site in County Tipperary. This hedgerow is within 50 metres of a farm landscaping shelterbelt of ash planted 8 years ago with imported plants that have also tested positive for the disease. This is now the second confirmed site of Chalara in a native hedgerow in Ireland. The Department are carrying out a survey of the hedgerow system in the vicinity of this finding before determining the extent of hedgerow to be removed in order to eradicate the disease at this site. In the meantime the farm landscaping shelterbelt is being removed.

Speaking today Minister Hayes said “Given this finding of a second outbreak in native ash trees within a hedgerow, it is obvious that there is a major challenge in eradicating this disease. We will continue with the policy of eradication and review this policy as further results come in from the ongoing surveys.”

Meanwhile the felling of trees in the first hedgerow infection site in Leitrim site has been completed. Minister Hayes visited the site to view firsthand the work being carried out. Minister Hayes met some of the landowners at the site and thanked them for their co-operation in trying to rid Ireland of this disease.

Date Released: 29 October 2013

tabby aspreme

That shelter belt was planted 8 years ago, in 2005 , charlara is either a very smart disease or we have incompetent foresters , the lad i use came to look at my trees in the DARK, having attended the information meetings I am happy enough to say we have a very incompetent forestry service also.

Oldtree

Not bothered to update the main ash dieback page yet:

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

Oldtree

Confirmed findings (as of 12 December 2013) of ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea)

Location type Number of confirmed findings

Forestry plantations 41 (+1)
Counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Tipperary, Waterford

Horticultural nurseries 17
Garden centres 4
Private gardens 4 (+1)
Farm planting/REPS/AEOS 18 (+3)
Roadside planting 22 (+2)
Hedgerow * 2

*One hedgerow ash positive site (Co. Leitrim) within and near former infected ash plantation, and one ash hedgerow (Co. Tipperary) near infected farm landscaping shelterbelt

Total now 108 (+7 since 29th October)

no map update provided

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

UK Confirmed findings at 9 December 2013:

Nursery sites - 24
Recently planted sites - 347
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 242
Total: 613

With NI on 87 (as of 22/10/13 re debate citing site numbers) confirmed infected planted sites (with no red dots on the FC map)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/ni/?id=2013-10-22.2.141
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

So all Ireland island total of 195 confirmed infected sites.

Oldtree

Page 23 onwards in this FC plant health update has some very interesting photos of maturing infected ash trees:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/NW_Regional_Plant_Health_Update_PO.pdf/$FILE/NW_Regional_Plant_Health_Update_PO.pdf

and this:

Ash dieback fungus might have mechanism to define territory and combat viruses, research shows

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/web-allbysubject/64E0C9B1A22C90F180257C230040FDDC

Oldtree

from Teagasc Forestry e-News 16 December 2013

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85345042#post85345042

"Living with ash dieback in continental Europe: present situation, long-term experience and future perspectives" at the Linnean Society, London, 29/11/2013"

View the conference programme

http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/docs/events/fraxback-london-programme-29nov13.pdf

The video presentations can be viewed here (6 hours worth!).

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI810ZkJIgiS9ALeeT5tq3g

Oldtree

BBC news item: (30-1-2014)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25964365

an interesting point therein:

It is thought the fungus was originally blown across the North Sea from the continent

Thought that was obvious a long time ago give the cluster in SE UK of wider environment sites detailed on their map.

UK Confirmed findings at 10 February 2014:

Nursery sites - 26
Recently planted sites - 345
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 259
Total: 630

88 sites in NI but no wider environment sites (manual count from the map)

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

From NI assembly 20-1-2014:

DARD's spore monitoring equipment, for example, will be put in place by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) at a Chalara ash dieback outbreak site in County Leitrim, which will assist the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and allow AFBI to test the use of the equipment on an outbreak site where there has been spread to adjoining hedgerows.

The Committee saw photographs of the practice of trying to reduce that. It can be described only as a scorched earth policy.

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Official-Report/Reports-13-14/20-January-2014/

No update from our department since 12th December.

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

Oldtree

It is fast approaching 4 months since an update on figures has been produced by the Department, as against the update every 2 weeks on the UK FC site!

UK Confirmed findings at 31st March 2014:

Nursery sites - 26 (+2)
Recently planted sites - 349 (+2)
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 266 (+24)
Total: 641 (+28)

With NI on 87 (as of 22/10/13 re debate citing site numbers confirmed infected planted sites (I count 84 on the fc map with no red dot wider environment sites on the FC map)

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

However the 2014 Competitive Call for Research Proposals from the DOA (by the 3rd May 2014) contains:

D.4.3 Genetic resistance to ash die back disease

Research is required to investigate genetic resistance to ash die back disease, Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (anomorph Chalara fraxinea) and the development of disease resistant ash planting stock. This topic is confined to funding instrument B - Standard Project.

D.4.4 Modelling the potential airborne spread of ash die back disease

A desk study is required to model the potential airborne spread of ash die back disease, Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (anomorph Chalara fraxinea) into the wider environment in Ireland from potentially infected locations and potential airborne incursion from neighbouring countries.

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/research/callforresearchproposals2014/CallSpecification2014final2130314.pdf

And a recent written question submitted to Minister Coveney

Q198. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if compensation will be paid to amenity tree producers who have suffered losses as a result of measures taken to eradicate chalara fraxinea; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

A: The measures taken to control the spread of Chalara fraxinea, and the collapse in demand for ash plants, have both created difficulties for a number of nurseries. However, due to the current economic difficulties, I regret to inform you that there is no possibility of my Department being in a position to introduce any new compensation scheme for amenity tree producers arising from the measures taken to control Chalara fraxinea.

http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-03-13a.539

Aya xxv

My wife's uncle was one of the head men in coillte for years really knows his stuff we planted a millrace /water meadow 20 years ago with mainly ash for hurls. All at his own expense. Now we are taking out 800 a year for firewood as he insists that according to his coillte contacts they have given up on ash plantations.

Oldtree

Confirmed findings (as of 7 April 2014) of ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea)

Location type - Number of confirmed findings

Forestry plantations 47 (+6) (the counties that the new plantation finds have been made are not listed)
Horticultural nurseries 17 (-)
Garden centres 4 (-)
Private gardens 4 (-)
Farm planting / REPS / AEOS 21 (+3)
Roadside planting 25 (+3)
Hedgerow * 2 (-)

Total now 120 (+12 since 12 December 2013).

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

here be map:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/forestry/ashdiebackchalara/Chalarafraxineaconfirmedfindings7Apr14100414.pdf

Good news is that there are no more "wild" sites found.

With 88 sites in NI (no wider environment sites) gives and an all Ireland island total of 208 sites.

From looking at the map there are now only 4 counties that Ash Dieback has not been found in! (notwithstanding the omission of the Horticultural Nursery and Garden Centre Findings from the map, that Forestry plantations no longer lists the affected counties and taken as red all the counties in the north have been blighted)

Oldtree

Teagasc have updated their information page on ash dieback, re-emphasising the need for proper sanitation.

"When visiting a forest:

•do not remove any plant material from the site; and,
•clean clothes and footwear of any plant material, including leaves, before leaving the forest."

http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/advice/chalara_disease.asp

So far there has been a total felling of 1,300 acres of forest due to ash dieback and the Native Woodland Trust warned that the disease has spread so widely for so long that it is now "unstoppable from here"
from here:

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ash-disease-unstoppable-as-it-spreads-to-nearly-every-county-30182799.html

Kent’s tree experts have produced new guidance for Ash dieback for Kent Council uk:

"Managing Chalara Ash Dieback in Kent"

http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/uploads/documents/Ash_Dieback_Kent_Guidance_web_version.pdf

Seven new research projects have received a share of £7M to help address threats to UK forests, woods and trees. Approx. £635K has gone to "Population structure and natural selection in the Chalara ash dieback fungus, Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus" Led by Professor James Brown, the John Innes Centre

http://www.trees.org.uk/aa/news/New-research-projects-announced-270.html

and I have yet to read this but the below abstract is very worrying

"A Volatile Lactone of Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus, Pathogen of European Ash Dieback, Inhibits Host Germination"

The largely unknown secondary metabolism of the plant pathogenic fungus Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus was investigated by use of the CLSA method. A set of volatile lactones was identified by GC/MS. The lactones were synthesized and used in bioassays in which one of the compounds was found to be a strong germination inhibitor for ash seeds, causing necroses in the plant tissue.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201402290/abstract;jsessionid=6E1471C6B252398C43D22DD0F2B02279.f01t01