Leicestershire County Council are tackling Ash Dieback
The worst tree-related disease epidemic the UK has experienced since the 1970’s
Ash are one of the most prominent landscape trees across the UK and is common in both woodlands and hedgerows. Leicestershire County Council are informing land and estate owners about the dangers of the highly infectious disease, ash dieback in a new leaflet they are producing.
Having originally been bought into Europe on imported trees from East Asia, ash dieback is now affecting our native ash trees across the UK since it was confirmed in the country in 2012.
Caused by a fungus which enters the tree through the leaves and bark, ash dieback causes leaf, branch and limb loss. There is some hope that trees may build a resistance over time, but it is believed that they will become weakened due to the disease and therefore will be more susceptible to other pests and diseases. The loss of this tree across the Midlands will have a huge impact on the landscape as well as a loss of habitat for native wildlife.
Many affected trees are on private land and so Leicestershire County Council have launched this campaign to target land and estate owners, residents and businesses to ensure that any affected trees do not become a hazard to any members of public, particularly along the busy network of roads across the region.
The leaflet which can be viewed here highlights key facts explaining how to identify and manage affected trees.