Ash Tree Disease

[Orior]

Our ash trees are under attack!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20415230

This news really really has me annoyed. I'm about 8 on the annoyance scale that I nornally reserve for ApplesisApples. If people were actually concerned about trees then then wouldn't let them get smothered by ivy. The ivy plant has destroyed 100's of times more trees that the ash disease.

Rant over.

[Evil Genius]

Our ash trees are under attack!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20415230

This news really really has me annoyed. I'm about 8 on the annoyance scale that I nornally reserve for ApplesisApples. If people were actually concerned about trees then then wouldn't let them get smothered by ivy. The ivy plant has destroyed 100's of times more trees that the ash disease.

Rant over.

Ivy killing trees is a common misperception.

Most trees aren't really affected by Ivy. And as for those which may be (inc. Ash), healthy specimens will normally withstand Ivy i.e. it is already weak or diseased specimens which get finished off by Ivy:

"Ivy has a very bad reputation and it is commonly thought that it kills trees. Contrary to popular belief, ivy is not parasitic and does not directly affect the health of the trees it climbs. Unlike true parasitic plants, (such as mistletoe, whose roots tap directly into the resources of the host plant) ivy has its feeding roots anchored in the ground and simply uses the tree as a support to get to where it wants to go. The masses of tiny, hair-like roots sprouting from the under surface of the stems, are simply designed to provide support and allow the plant to climb. Although these roots provide almost immovable adhesion to the rough surfaces of tree trunks and walls, they are not used for feeding, and at worst only penetrate the outermost layer of bark on host trees.
It is primarily in terms of competition for natural resources that ivy affects the health of trees, particularly where light is concerned. If ivy has become established on a tree, it is more likely to be a sign of stress than a cause of it. A heavy infestation of ivy, particularly in the upper crown, is usually an indication that the tree is in a natural state of decline; most healthy crowns will let insufficient light through for the ivy to grow vigorously. Ash, Fraxinus excelsior, is an exception as the crown tends to be thin and open. This allows major infestations to occur, thereby restricting photosynthesis, but it is still unlikely that the life of a healthy tree will be shortened. In the case of a diseased or dying tree, where the it's growth rate and vigour may be slow or in decline, the ivy's more vigorous growth allow it to smother the tree. The bushy adult growth will then have a tendency to make the tree top heavy, making it more likely to fall, particularly during adverse weather conditions."http://www.arborecology.co.uk/article_forf.htm

[T Fearon]

What measures will they take to keep this out of the 26 counties? Armed guards on the border? Remember the big mats on the border at the time of the Foot and Mouth disease?

[Denn Forever]

The GAABoard misinformation department kicks into overdrive.

It is a fungal disease not Ivy.

The Chalara ash dieback disease, caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea, was found in imported ash saplings in counties Down and Antrim.

Dont buy Ash saplings that have been imported.

[Orior]

The GAABoard misinformation department kicks into overdrive.

It is a fungal disease not Ivy.

The Chalara ash dieback disease, caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea, was found in imported ash saplings in counties Down and Antrim.

Dont buy Ash saplings that have been imported.

Denn. Hey! I created the thread, and then immediately hijacked it so as to vent my anger at ivy.

Evil Genius. No No No! Ivy may indeed be nature's way of decomposing old trees, but, most people these days dont know that ivy needs pulled back every year. Otherwise it takes over hedges and trees.

In the good old days, everyone would have had goats or sheep to keep ivy at bay.