Ash Dieback
Nathan Davies • October 29, 2020
What is Ash Dieback?
The Facts:
– What is Ash Dieback? It is a tree disease.
– What causes it? A fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus .
– Also known as? Ash dieback, Chalara, Chalara Ash dieback.
– What trees does it affect? The Common Ash Fraxinus excelsior young and old.
– Areas affected so far? The whole of the UK.
– Prognosis? The disease is now endemic.
– Origin? Asia, arrived in the UK via Europe.
The latest information shows that Ash Dieback has now taken hold across much of the UK, including here in North Wales. The disease is likely to have a major impact on our countryside, much of which is patterned by a rich network of hedges, hedgerow trees, small copses and woodland. If the Ash trees go, and evidence suggests we will lose over 90% of them, then the character of our landscapes is likely to change dramatically, with loss of trees, hedgerows and the wildlife they support.
A highly infectious fungal disease known as ‘Ash dieback’ is threatening to wipe out our native Ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ), as well as most other non-native members of the Ash family. Ash trees are valuable features of our landscape and are present in our native woodlands and hedgerows. Ash is one of our three main hedgerow trees, along with Oak and Beech, and makes up about one sixth (16%) of their shrubby growth.
The airbourne spread of the disease has continued, and its impacts on Ash trees in our towns and countryside are now becoming noticeable.
What you can do:
- Manage risks. Check Ash trees on land under your control for signs of the disease (see 'Symptoms' below). Don’t wait until the disease makes a mature tree unsafe. If you are a landowner, you are responsible for managing the health and safety risks from trees on your land. Monitor trees near highways and rights of way or areas with high levels of public access for signs of the disease. You can contact us here at Dragon Tree Services for advice and we can come and have a look at any trees you are concerned about to provide advice and a free, no obligation quote for any work that may be required.
There are several key signs to look out for. All of these symptoms can also be caused by other problems, so final diagnosis should be made by an expert. Summer is a good time to look for symptoms as in autumn and winter, Ash trees will naturally be shedding their leaves making it difficult to identify Ash dieback.
Symptoms:
- Dark lesions – often long, thin and diamond-shaped – appear on the trunk at the base of dead side shoots.
- The tips of shoots become black and shrivelled.
- Blackened, dead leaves – may look a bit like frost damage.
- The veins and stalks of leaves, normally pale in colour, turn brown.
- Saplings have dead tops and side shoots.
- In mature trees, dieback of twigs and branches in the crown, often with bushy growth further down the branches where new shoots have been produced.
- In late summer and early autumn (July to October), small white fruiting bodies can be found on blackened leaf stalks.
Causes:
- The disease is spread by spores from the fruiting bodies of the fungus produced on fallen ash leaves. These airborne spores can disperse naturally via wind over tens of kilometres.
- Prior to the ban in October 2012 on the movement of Ash trees, spread over longer distances was likely to have been via the movement of infected Ash plants.
- We don’t know what the full impact of Ash dieback will be. Evidence suggests young trees are killed quickly while many mature Ash trees can resist infection for some time until eventually dying or becoming weakened and succumbing to attack from another pest or pathogen.
- Scientists have developed techniques to identify individual trees that are less susceptible to Ash dieback disease, this technique combined with resistance breeding trials, can be used to grow trees that are more likely to survive the disease. We'll have to wait and hope these trials are successful.
We're very proud to have received an email from Melinda at Three Best Rated informing us that we have been selected as one of the top three Tree Surgery Businesses in Gwynedd for 2024. We pride ourselves on providing a professional, courteous service to all our customers. Whatever your needs regarding trees or hedges we will work with you from start to finish ensuring all your needs are met. Over the years we have built up a loyal customer base that I would like to thank for their continued support. Please check out our Google reviews and feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation quote.
We are extremely pleased to have received an email from Three Best Rated stating we have been rated as one of the top three tree services in Gwynedd. Here are a couple of extracts from the email received; "I'm Melinda from ThreeBestRated. On behalf of our team, I am delighted to share some exciting news with you. You are listed as one of the Top 3 Tree services in Gwynedd, UK in our recent update. Our business analyst team is impressed by the consistent high-quality service you provide in your area of business. They have thoroughly evaluated and updated your business based on our rigorous 50-Point Inspection". We pride ourselves on providing a professional, courteous service to all our customers. Whatever your needs regarding trees or hedges we will work with you from start to finish ensuring all your needs are met. We're proud to have built a loyal customer base over the years. Please check out our Google reviews and feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation quote.
We are pleased to say we received an email from the 'Quality Business Awards' scheme informing us we have been selected as the winner of their award for tree surgery businesses in Gwynedd for this year. As a company we strive to provide a professional and courteous service to all our customers. If you require a tree surgeon in the North Wales area please don't hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation quote. You can find all our contact details and further information on our website and please read through our Google reviews to see what our customers think.
I’m delighted to be able to say that for the 6th year running we have been recognised by the website ‘Three Best Rated’. This website looks at various service providers in towns and cities across the country and decides on the 3 which it feels offers the best services. 'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require. THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include: Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services. Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need? Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered. History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company? We are naturally proud to be recognised by Three Best Rated and intend to continue offering quality services to maintain our position. If you need the services of a Tree Surgeon in North Wales please don't hesitate to contact us. As you can see from our website we are fully insured and all our operatives are highly experienced, NPTC qualified tree surgeons.
I’m delighted to be able to say that for the 4th year running we have been recognised by the website ‘Three Best Rated’. This website looks at various service providers in towns and cities across the country and decides on the 3 which it feels offers the best services. 'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require. THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include: Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services. Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need? Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered. History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company? We are naturally proud to be recognised by Three Best Rated and intend to continue offering quality services to maintain our position.
I’m delighted to be able to say that for the 3rd year running we have been recognised by the website ‘Three Best Rated’. This website looks at various service providers in towns and cities across the country and decides on the 3 which it feels offers the best services. 'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require. THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include: Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services. Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need? Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered. History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company? We are naturally proud to be recognised by Three Best Rated and intend to continue offering quality services to maintain our position.
The term "co-dominant stems" is used to describe two or more main stems (or "leaders") that are about the same diameter and emerge from the same location on the main trunk as seen in the picture above. As the tree grows older, the stems remain similar in size without any single one becoming dominant. Why are such stems important to recognize? Co-dominant stems tend to fail more often than others, especially in storms. Though such stems may look fine to the casual observer, they may actually be dangerous. Early recognition of such stems allows remedial action to be carried out. Many of our most common trees in the UK commonly form co-dominant stems. How can you tell if there is a serious problem? Classifying co-dominant stems into 3 risk stages can aid in their management: Stage 1 : Does the union between the two stems form a "V" but there are no other symptoms? A "V" union is much more likely to fail than a "U". Stems with a "V" union compress bark between them as they grow, leaving little physical connection. Stage 2 : Are there symptoms of decay in the union? Can you see rotted matter between the stems? Is there any fluid flowing from the union? Are there woody plants growing in the union? Do you see wide "ears" (swelling) on either side of the union? Stage 3 : Is there any sign of failure? Can you see any cracks in the union itself? Is reaction wood being formed rapidly at the base of the stems? If you have a co-dominant stem that you are concerned about you should seek the advice of a trained professional. This is by no means intended to be used as an extensive guide to tree hazard assessment,simply to aid understanding of some common tree related problems that can cause a tree to fail.
I’m delighted to be able to say that for the 2nd year running we have been recognised by the website ‘Three Best Rated’. This website looks at various service providers in towns and cities across the country and decides on the 3 which it feels offers the best services. 'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require. THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include: Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services. Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need? Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered. History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company? We are naturally proud to be recognised by Three Best Rated and intend to continue offering quality services to maintain our position.
We had a busy end to 2018 so I didn't have the chance to take many photos whilst we were at work and consequently a lack of pictures and time resulted in not posting a blog for a while. I've just dug out some pictures of a few jobs we carried out in the final few months of 2018. Thanks to all the lads who have worked for us during the last year. Their hard work and attitude have helped Dragon Tree Services provide quality tree care and keep all our customers happy.
As we know Storm Emma caused a bit of havoc across the country recently. Quite apt for me as I had a childhood of sister Emma causing havoc! Certain small areas where I live in North Wales were hit harder than others with some isolated pockets coming off worse due to localised gales. One such area was Dinorwic up near the slate quarries. I received a phone call from a customer in need of assisstance as she had a tree in her back garden that had been blown over and was resting on the roof of the house. Luckily an adjacent Holly tree had taken most of the impact and although the tree was resting on the roof it hadn't caused any damage to the building. Removing the tree without damaging the house was the challenge we faced. After formulating a plan incorporating a winch and steel props to stabilise the tree whilst working on it we set about the job in hand. After an interesting day dismantling the fallen tree we had successfully removed it from the house and it was all safely on the floor ready to be tidied up the following day. I've put up some photos of the job. If we can help with any tree surgery work you need please don't hesitate to contact Dragon Tree Services.
