A RECENT rapid spread of ash dieback has forced the closure of a 60-hectare nature reserve in England. 

Officials at Wakehurst have confirmed the Loder Valley Nature Reserve will remain out of bounds while a major felling operation takes place. 

This is the first time such a considerable stretch of the gardens has closed since the opening of the Kew Botanical Gardens' sister site in 1965.

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Ed Ikin, director of Wakehurst, said: “Recent extreme weather such as drought stress has only accelerated ash dieback’s spread.

"The closure of our nature reserve marks a pivotal moment in our history, as we fight this deadly disease, and serves as a reminder of how the work we undertake at Kew is critical to combat the twin threats of biodiversity loss and climate change.”

In order to understand and prevent this deadly fungus, which is set to kill up to 75 per cent of ash trees in the UK, Wakehurst is bringing together a unique blend of horticulture and science in its 535-acre site.

Over the past decade, tree surveys across the site conducted by the experienced Arboretum team have revealed over 90 per cent of ash at Wakehurst had signs of ash dieback, including a reduced canopy, dark lesions in the trunk and blackened leaves.

Russell Croft, Arboretum manager said: “We have already made strong progress removing infected ash trees from roadsides around Wakehurst, as well as other areas within the gardens.

"The safety of our visitors and staff is our priority, so it’s essential we reduce and prevent the signs of ash dieback in our woodlands. Due to the instability of the trees, this is dangerous but extremely vital work.”

Forestry work will be combined with the specialist knowledge of Kew scientists. With promising signs that some ash trees are tolerant to dieback, Wakehurst’s leading researchers are looking to generate a new population of resilient ash.

Over the last decade, Professor Richard Buggs has been conducting pioneering studies to explore correlations between genetic variants in healthy and unhealthy ash trees.

With data indicating that the health of trees can be predicted from their genomes, Kew is now exploring the possibility of an ash breeding scheme to help secure a future for the native tree species.

Prof Richard said: “There is currently no cure for ash dieback and it threatens to kill a vast quantity of ash trees in the UK.

"This will have a huge impact on the British landscape.

"Our new findings of natural resistance found in a small minority of British ash trees will help us to predict how ash populations will evolve under the threat of ash dieback." 

Ash dieback also presents a huge financial cost to British society, from the practical management of the disease to the loss of environmental services, it’s estimated to cost £15 billion.

Work at the Loder Valley Nature Reserve is expected to take several months. Updates will be shared on https://www.kew.org/wakehurst