Ash Dieback Disease (Chalara fraxinea) in Ireland

Oldtree

"the importance of timber security" :rolleyes: bit late now!

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2012/december/title,68187,en.html

Rovi

I think the "timber security" he's referring to in the ITGA handbook is in regard to the theft of cut logs from the forest/roadside.

crackcrack30

Inspected , irish, and disease free but no passport, and this is just one nursery..... would it be completly outside the box to pick an island or something with a natural boundary and plant the largest ash forest in western europe rather than burn them, especially since we import so mush of the stuff for our national sport.....is this beyond the capability of our state management.....and then keep them under constant observation for disease and possibly an emergant resistant variety....

Oldtree

crackcrack30 wrote: »

Inspected , irish, and disease free but no passport, and this is just one nursery..... would it be completly outside the box to pick an island or something with a natural boundary and plant the largest ash forest in western europe rather than burn them, especially since we import so mush of the stuff for our national sport.....is this beyond the capability of our state management.....and then keep them under constant observation for disease and possibly an emergant resistant variety....

Disease free??? every single one been tested? I wouldnt trust a bought ash tree now even with a passport nor would I invest money in buying one either.

no way round the wind bourne spores with the island idea and resistance is unlightly to be found in such a small number of trees. probably from a small genetic pool base, its an aful waste but necessary. Transporting them round the country wouldnt be a good idea either I think.

Resistance may be found in a country wide search after the devistation, like the single tree in Poland previously mentioned. I'm hoping for at least a single resistant native tree to bree on from, I would prefer not to have to import genes.

Oldtree

Uk now up to 323 reported cases
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

RIP Shane McEntee sad news.

periodictable

Oldtree wrote: »

ery interesting to study the ebb and flow of flora on this island over time. But with the weather changing what is going to happen next. Very difficult to predict based on past ebbs and flows. With the deluges we are getting now the soil is getting a lot more water in one go and as the root function shuts down to protect the tree at such times from waterlogging, the tree then continues to transpire effectivly drying the tree out. Are we going to get a lot of trees failing due to this new stress? Will this make the ash dieback worse than it would have been otherwise??? Unprecedented territory.

Interesting point. Makes one wonder about the bright spark who some years ago came up with "inverted mounding", resulting in trees growing on islands surrounded by water. I recently walked such a site planted 4 years ago and was sorry not to have brought my waders.

Oldtree

periodictable wrote: »

"inverted mounding"

another reason that I didnt go for a grant. Am planting up some of a damp summer/winter flooding area with willow and alder to see how they get on. No mounding as I prefer the soil structure and texture to remain largely intact. Some natural regen ash seems to be getting on ok on the site but prefer dryer spots for my ash.

Oldtree

"So it seems that Chalara fraxinea originated in Japan or Korea, where it co–exists with native ash trees and does not appear to damage them. Somehow the fungus has moved into Europe and as European native ash trees have not evolved with it, they are not resistant to its effects – and are dying in huge numbers.

Prof Kowalski agrees. He says the fungus is too deadly to have evolved in Europe. “My colleagues and I have come to the conclusion that this fungus cannot be native – it’s just far too aggressive,” he said. “Currently when it infects a nursery for instance, it kills all of the saplings, by killing its host it ultimately leads to its own demise and itself dies out. A successful fungus co–exists with its host tree, so they will both survive.”


http://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.net/paperstoday/index.php?do=paperstoday&action=view&id=15217

I picked up on Asia but missed that specific nugget when I listened to the radio programme.

Oldtree

the slow pace of the Department of Agriculture in detecting its progress across the country

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fallout-from-budget-and-cyber-abuse-troubled-him-3334469.html

TomOnBoard

Oldtree wrote: »

Mr McEntee was also particularly pre-occupied lately with ash die-back, a disease in the native tree that has been slowly encroaching on Ireland's forests. According to one friend, he was frustrated at the slow pace of the Department of Agriculture in detecting its progress across the country

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fallout-from-budget-and-cyber-abuse-troubled-him-3334469.html

If it comes from the rag that is currently the Irish Independent, it doesn't deserve repeating here.

As reported by the Irish Times, the Parish Priest, Fr Seamus Houlihan suggested at Mr McEntees removal to the local church, that "God knows, because he didn’t know, and neither did the rest of us, what darkness or what issues were working inside him”

Let's leave it at that. May he Rest in Peace, and may anyone else enduring similar darkness and/or issues, find the strength to get help to avoid further waste of good people.

Oldtree

TomOnBoard wrote: »

May he Rest in Peace, and may anyone else enduring similar darkness and/or issues, find the strength to get help to avoid further waste of good people.

Agree totally. 500 people a year is a huge number and far too many especially if you think there were 160 road deaths this year.

it is my intention only to draw attention to this bit which is related to ash dieback and the departments lack of vigour in that regard
the slow pace of the Department of Agriculture in detecting its progress across the country

TomOnBoard

Oldtree wrote: »

However it was my intention to draw attention to this bit specifically, given the title of this thread:

the slow pace of the Department of Agriculture in detecting its progress across the country

Hi Oldtree.
PM sent on this.

Rgds

Tom

Oldtree

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Hi Oldtree. PM sent on this.Rgds Tom

Hiya tom, replied to PM hopefully sorting it out. kind regards, oldtree

Oldtree

It seems to me that the rate of new discoveries has slowed down in the UK, or maby it was just the christmas break, with only another 16 cases discovered since the last update.

Confirmed findings at 4 January 2013:
Nursery sites - 17
Recently planted sites - 156
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 166
Total: 339
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

However from the map there are now 20 infected recently planted sites in NI.

Oldtree

There are 22 cases in NI!

"There are now 22 confirmed outbreaks of ash dieback disease in the Province, according the the Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill. It is believed that the disease has come from four different sources, all of which are linked the imports from continental Europe."
http://www.tyronecourier.uk.com/articles/news/31602/ashback-fears-continue-on-hill/

Still waiting for details of our new year report on AD

periodictable

Don't hold your breath for the report. The pressure from Shane McEntee is off them so they hope it will be forgotten about.

Oldtree

noticed a bit about this group in the IT at the weekend:

18 January 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 national environmental groups, is calling for the government to adopt a new set of measures to control ash dieback disease and to limit the very serious economic and environmental problems resulting from its introduction to Ireland.
http://environmentalpillar.ie/2013/01/18/new-measures-are-needed-to-combat-serious-consequences-of-deadly-ash-dieback/
http://environmentalpillar.ie/about-2/ep-members/

Confirmed findings in UK at 17 January 2013:
Nursery sites - 18
Recently planted sites - 167
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 167
Total: 352
and from the map its now 23 Recently planted infected sites in Northern Ireland
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

including new winter symptoms video:

This was interesting from the UK:

Forestry chief quits after ministers unimpressed over handling of ash crisis
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/environment/article3664050.ece

Still no sign of the new year Ash Dieback report for Ireland.....
Funny how they can get lab results very quick when it comes to burgers :rolleyes:

periodictable

Oldtree wrote: »

Forestry chief quits after ministers unimpressed over handling of ash crisis
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/environment/article3664050.ece

Still no sign of the new year Ash Dieback report for Ireland.....
Funny how they can get lab results very quick when it comes to burgers :rolleyes:

Good post! But it's up to the public to put the pressure on to have these guys account for their action/inaction. So email Simon Coveney ask ask him to light a fire under the Forest Service

simon.coveney@oir.ie
021 4374200 (Constituency Office)

01 6183753 (Leinster House)


I think Brendan Howlin would be worth contacting- here's a prime example of how to insert a reforming wedge into the upper reaches of the civil service
TelMinister's Office (01) 631 8102Minister's Office (01) 631 8021Constituency Phone (053) 912 4036Constituency Fax (053) 912 3765 Email[EMAIL="brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie?subject=Website%20Mail%20Comment&body=Message%20for%20Brendan%20Howlin"]brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie[/EMAIL]

Oldtree

Ash Dieback Disease (Chalara fraxinea) - latest developments

The webpage on the Teagasc Forestry website highlighting Chalara has been updated.

You can now read a report on Chalara in Europe - Characteristics of Chalara disease, its status in Europe (58 KB). http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/docs/research/Chalara_Europe.pdf

This is a summary report from a meeting of European experts held on 13-14 November 2012 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Information Note on Ash Dieback (Chalara fraxinea) (1.4 MB).http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/docs/research/Chalara_Europe.pdf

produced by the Forest Service, DAFM has been updated. You can also watch a new, excellent video produced by the Forestry Commission in the UK. It describes how to identify the symptoms of Chalara in winter.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0n-9-PZySA

You may also wish to download the Teagasc Forestry Chalara Newsletter (PDF 370 KB) http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/docs/media/newsletters/Teagasc_Forestry_Newsletter_Dec_12.pdf

or this Chalara poster (PDF 2.5 MB). http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/docs/advice/chalara_poster.pdf

You can help highlighting this serious threat to our ash trees by downloading and displaying newsletters and posters in prominent places. Paper copies may also be available from your local Teagasc Forestry Development Officer.

Further details regarding the presence of Chalara fraxinea in Ireland can be found here.http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/advice/chalara_disease.asp

More a synopsis than "latest developments" I would say :rolleyes:

Oldtree

Still no sign of the irish report :rolleyes:

Uk biosecurity video

Oldtree

update from the UK:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

Confirmed findings at 4 February 2013:

Nursery sites - 19
Recently planted sites - 176
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 174
Total: 369

of which, from the map, there are now 23 in NI.

just noticed this on their site too:

Plant health experts are also undertaking a survey of about a thousand sites which have received saplings (young trees) from nurseries where Chalara dieback has been found.

last press release from our DOA department is now nearly 2 months old :eek:

Oldtree

Confirmed findings for infected sites in theUK at 11 February 2013:

Nursery sites - 19
Recently planted sites - 187
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 170
Total: 376

Now 25 infected recently planted sites in NI from their map:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

Oldtree

Confirmed findings (Last Updated: 11 February 2013)

Location type/No. of confirmed findings of ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea)

Forestry Plantations 26
in Counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Tipperary, Waterford

Horticultural Nurseries 14
Garden Centres 1
Private Garden 1
Farm landscaping 1
Roadside landscaping 3

no details as to where in the country the non plantation infected trees are???

from here:

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

no press release on these figures???
is this all we get as the much promised new year report???

so based on available data this is now the map of the infected counties on the island of Ireland, with 71 confirmed infected sites:

periodictable

Oldtree wrote: »

Confirmed findings (Last Updated: 11 February 2013)

Thanks for keeping us up to date:D

Oldtree

periodictable wrote: »

Don't hold your breath for the report.

You may well be right, is it still the New Year????? :rolleyes:

anyway the uk has more cases but thankfully no more discovered in NI:

Confirmed findings at 25 February 2013:

Nursery sites - 19
Recently planted sites - 197
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 170
Total: 386

periodictable

Oldtree wrote: »

You may well be right, is it still the New Year????? :rolleyes:

anyway the uk has more cases but thankfully no more discovered in NI:

Confirmed findings at 25 February 2013:

Nursery sites - 19
Recently planted sites - 197
Wider environment, e.g. established woodland - 170
Total: 386

Since the death of Shane McEntee the heat is off these guys-nothing will happen.

horsemad

This country of ours is being destroyed by cheap imports of things we are good at producing ourselves eg. horse dressed up as beef and ash trees that are growing on every ditch in the country among other things.
we have a chance as an island to protect our selves by banning the import of any produce that can be produced at home.

Oldtree

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2013/february/title,69046,en.html

I just cannot comment :eek::mad: on this update, as I am speechless for now.....

tabby aspreme

Some update alright!!! No plan in place obviously, easy to see everyone in the dept will get paid irrespective of the fallout

mountainy man

http://wtcampaigns.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/ash-dieback-dna-breakthrough/

Looks like some good news at last.