Research published in the Journal of Ecology has suggested that the ash tree could become extinct in Europe because of the ash-dieback disease alongside the threat of the emerald ash borer, which is an invasive beetle.
Ash is one of the most common tree species in the UK, with approximately 60,000 miles of tree lines. It is the second most common tree in woodland after the oak, and it is estimated that there are 2.2 million ash trees located in towns and cities in Britain.
However, the research, which was led by Dr Peter Thomas of Keele University, suggests that due to the threat of the beetle and the disease, "it is likely that almost all ash trees in Europe will be wiped out - just as the elm was largely eliminated by Dutch elm disease".
If this should happen, it will not only significantly impact our landscape, but it will be a big blow to biodiversity; 1,000 species are associated with ash or ash woodland, including 12 types of bird, 55 mammals and 239 invertebrates. Dr Thomas said, "Of these, over 100 species of lichens, fungi and insects are dependent upon the ash tree and are likely to decline or become extinct if the ash was gone. Some other trees such as alder, small-leaved lime and rowan can provide homes for some of these species... but if the ash went, the British countryside would never look the same again."
The ash-dieback disease was first seen in Eastern Europe in the early 90s and was identified in England in 2012 in a consignment of imported trees. When it infects a tree, it kills the leaves, then the branches, trunk and eventually the tree itself. Since 2012, it has spread from Norfolk and Suffolk to South Wales.
The emerald ash border is a beetle that is native to Asia, making it an invasive species. It has not been seen in the UK yet, but is spreading west from Moscow at a rate of 25 miles a year and is believed to be in Sweden. Whilst the beetle itself causes little damage, the larvae bore under the bark and into the wood, which will kill the tree.
