What can we do to save the ash tree in Britain?

Under attack from both the fungal disease ash dieback and the emerald ash borer beetle, the tree's future looks bleak. But some experts believe there is hope - and that measures can be taken to alleviate the devastation

Reports that the ash tree is "set for extinction in Europe" have sent a shiver down the spine of everyone who loves and values Britain's trees. For older readers like me, the stories are an unwelcome reminder of 40 years ago, when another familiar tree - the English elm - was devastated by Dutch Elm Disease.

The new research, published in the Journal of Ecology, paints a grim picture for the future of the ash in Britain and Europe. The trees are suffering a twin-pronged attack: from ash dieback, a fungal disease also known as Chalara, and the invasive emerald ash borer beetle. It has yet to reach the UK, but is moving westwards across Europe at a frightening rate.