Issued jointly with Defra Further cases of the tree disease
Chalara dieback of ash have been confirmed in woodland in
Sussex, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and
Northumberland after an unprecedented survey of Britain’s
established woodlands. The disease has now been confirmed in 115
sites: 15 nurseries, 39 planting sites and 61 locations in the
wider environment (forests and woodland). These instances of
Chalara dieback are being discovered as a result of a rapid and
intensive surveying operation carried out over the course of
last weekend and the beginning of this week. The discovery of
the disease in these counties does not mean the disease is
spreading rapidly. It is likely that the disease has been
present in these areas for a number of years, originally caused
by spores blown in from mainland Europe. Plant health experts,
in conjunction with volunteers from groups such as the National
Trust and Woodland Trust, have been examining about 2500 blocks
of land, each 10 kilometres square, whe