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Ash dieback on the island of Ireland
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2017
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McCracken AR , Douglas GC, Ryan C, Destefanis M , Cooke LR (2017) Ash dieback on the island of Ireland, in: “Dieback of European Ash (Fraxinus spp.): Consequences and Guidelines for Sustainable Management” The Report on European Cooperation in Science & Technology (COST) Action FP1 103 FRAXBACK pp. 125-139 Edited by: Vasaitis R. and Enderle R. Publisher: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
On the island of Ireland it is estimated that there are over half a million kilometres of hedgerows (400,000+ km
in the Republic of Ireland (Rep. Ireland) and 113,000+ in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland). Ash (Fraxinus
excelsior) is the second most important component, after hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), in large proportions
of this hedgerow network. In the Rep. Ireland over 20,000 ha of ash have been planted since 1990, primarily for
sawlogs and to provide material for the manufacture of hurleys, which are used in an important national sport
called hurling, and for camogie sticks used to play camogie. Ash dieback, caused by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus,
was first identified on the island in October 2012 and since then has been detected at 306 sites (195 in Rep.
Ireland and 111 in Northern Ireland). In the vast majority of cases the outbreaks have been on young, imported
trees planted within the previous 5 – 6 years and it was evident that the pathogen had been introduced on trees
for planting. On a small number of occasions there was evidence of the pathogen cycling within a plantation or
moving from the plantation to infect neighbouring hedgerow trees. One possible mechanism by which the
pathogen can build up sufficient inoculum is by the formation of apothecia on infected woody tissue high up on
the plants. Rep. Ireland and Northern Ireland have strict policies of eradication and containment, as set out in the
All-Ireland Chalara Control Strategy. To date over 2.1 million trees have been destroyed as part of an
eradication strategy. It is considered that this prompt and far-reaching action has had a significant impact,
significantly mitigating and preventing the rapid establishment of the pathogen and limiting its spread. The
interventions since the disease was first confirmed have helped to protect the considerable investment in ash
plantations of the last 20 years. The pathogen has not, however, been eradicated from the island of Ireland and it
remains to be seen how widespread, and how quickly ash dieback will become established on the island of
Ireland. The latest figures from the Republic of Ireland are that 733 hectares of ash plantation has been
reconstituted with another species as a result of Chalara and this has cost our state €2.6 million so far; in
addition, Chalara has been found and confirmed in all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland to a greater or lesser
extent. As a result the current policies and procedures regarding Chalara are under review.