Ash Dieback In Surrey

What is Ash Dieback, and what causes it?

The fungus Chalara fraxinea, also known as Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, causes ash dieback, a destructive disease. The wind carries fungal spores, which enable the disease to spread to nearby trees. This ash dieback fungus invades and moves through ash trees, leading to leaf loss, crown deterioration and, ultimately, tree death.

Scientists believe the fungus arrived in Europe from East Asia in the early 1990s and has now spread throughout Europe and parts of the UK.

Since its discovery in 2012, ash dieback has dramatically altered landscapes and woodlands across Surrey, Hampshire and the South East.

Experts warn that ash dieback will destroy up to 80% of UK ash trees, making it a critical issue.

You can monitor the spread of Ash dieback in the UK using this helpful Ash Dieback map.

Ash dieback signs and symptoms

There are several signs and symptoms to look for that may indicate your tree is infected with ash dieback disease.

Seeds/Keys:

Infected ash trees often retain their seeds/keys for longer. These can be seen in brown bunches and are exceptionally noticeable in the winter.

Leaves:

Leaves may develop patches of brown, die and fall from the tree as the summer progresses.

Bark and branches:

You may notice sunken dark lesions on branches and trunks/stems, particularly on young ash trees.   

Crown/Canopy:

The foliage in the crown of the ash tree will gradually thin as the disease develops.

*Careful attention is needed when identifying ash dieback disease, as other tree diseases and conditions may exhibit similar symptoms.

Ash dieback stages

Arboriculture experts classify ash dieback disease progression into four stages based on the percentage of dieback in the tree:

• Category 1 (T1): 0–25% dieback, where the tree maintains healthy growth and good leaf coverage. The tree might display minor disease indicators, such as premature leaf drop or slight leaf discolouration.
• Category 2 (T2): 25–50% dieback, where the tree exhibits apparent disease symptoms. These include diminished leaf coverage or crown density, leaf discolouration, lesions, or brown keys.
• Category 3 (T3): 50–75% dieback, where the tree shows severe disease impact. Severe disease indicators include significantly reduced leaf coverage or crown density, dying branch tips, brown keys, and foliage that grows in “clumps”.
• Category 4 (T4): 75–100% dieback, where the tree demonstrates terminal decline. The tree will feature extremely sparse or absent leaf coverage or crown density and substantial dead branches.

The disease rapidly kills saplings and young trees, whilst mature trees can survive for 20–30 years. Though mature trees might show temporary recovery signs, they typically die over the longer term.

What to do if you think your tree has Ash Dieback

Quick Ash Dieback identification proves essential if you suspect an ash dieback infection to prevent further spread. Our team has extensive Ash Dieback knowledge and will gladly inspect your trees to confirm any infection.

Upon confirming Ash Dieback, we will recommend the most appropriate action plan for your circumstances. Contact Guildford Tree Surgeons today to schedule a free site visit and consultation with our Ash Dieback experts.

ADB weakens trees’ structural integrity, increasing the risk of falling limbs and debris, which creates safety hazards. These safety concerns become particularly crucial when infected trees are near high-traffic areas like roads, footpaths or buildings.

The severe deterioration in tree stability often makes traditional rope and harness climbing too dangerous. Therefore, we remove infected trees through ground-level felling, mechanical dismantling, or section felling using a MEWP/Cherry picker to ensure safety.

Contact us for a free Ash Dieback removal consultation, which includes a complimentary site visit, tree inspection and quotation without obligation.

We recommend visiting the Forestry Commission website for more information about Ash Dieback, including when and how to report it.

For more localised information regarding Ash Dieback in Surrey, visit the Surrey County Council website.

Ash Dieback Grants

The government offers grants to help cover some of the costs of managing ash trees with ash dieback, hazardous trees growing near roadsides and public rights of way.

Ash dieback grants may help pay for:

• a professional tree survey to evaluate your ash trees’ health
• traffic management and road closure expenses when removing infected trees
• planting and caring for replacement trees
• conducting a European protected species survey
• the time taken to handle collective applications

The government encourages group applications for these Ash dieback grants to help minimise the risks of diseased trees. Collective action also reduces the financial burden of managing affected trees and replanting them with hardier varieties.

While group grant applications are preferable, you can still submit an individual application if forming a group proves too tricky.

Who can apply for an Ash Dieback Grant?

You can apply for an Ash dieback grant if you are a private landowner, land manager, lower-tier or upper-tier local authority (with some exclusions).

Visit the GOV.UK website for further information about Ash dieback grants and how to apply.