Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus Fraxineus) will kill around 80% of the UK’s Ash trees. Already visible throughout our county where ash is the most predominant tree, growing in our hedgerows, parks and gardens. Trees growing in highly trafficked areas may become a potential hazard.

Ash dieback can affect ash trees of all ages. Younger trees succumb to the disease quicker but in general, all affected trees will have these symptoms:

• Leaves develop dark patches in the summer.
• They then wilt and discolour to black. Leaves might shed early.
• Dieback of the shoots and leaves is visible in the summer.
• Lesions develop where branches meet the trunk. These are often diamond-shaped and dark brown.
• Inner bark looks brownish-grey under the lesions.
• New growth from previously dormant buds further down the trunk. This is known as epicormic growth and is a common response to stress in trees.