Focus on

Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Ash tree dieback

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Chalara dieback of ash – known as ash tree dieback – is a disease caused by the Chalara fraxinea fungus which affects ash trees and can lead to tree death.

Following concerns about the spread of ash dieback in British trees and Latest Defra information on ash dieback disease recent information from Defra 89kb, Wiltshire Council has suspended all planting of Ash on council land for the foreseeable future. Inspections of existing Ash will be arranged wherever possible to support the recent request for monitoring the spread and Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission, will be alerted to any new cases.

New legislation has been introduced that restricts imports of ash plants and seeds to those originating in pest-free areas. Owners of any infected ash plants will be served Plant Health Notices and asked to destroy the plants, either by burning or deep burial on site. There is no compensation available for this.

Moving any ash tree material from an infected site under a statutory Plant Health Notice is not allowed. The wood may be used as fuel if it remains on the site covered by the statutory Plant Health Notice.

Any infected stock on Wiltshire Council land will be burned on site, but infected mature trees will be kept as per the Defra recommendations and subject to further advice. Currently Wiltshire Council is not aware of any confirmed infections within the county.

Please visit the Forestry Commission website for up to date information on its spread and photographs showing the symptoms.

Full focus on listing

Last updated: 1 July 2011