Ash Dieback Management
Ash dieback assessment and removal across Sussex and Surrey. Practical advice on whether the tree can stay, needs reducing, or has to come down.
What the job involves
If an ash has a thinning crown, dying branches or damage around the trunk, arrange an assessment. Its condition and what stands beneath it determine the next step. Some trees can be monitored; others may need work. Declining ash can become brittle, which also affects how the team can reach it safely.
Symptoms need interpreting
Sparse foliage, dead shoots and new growth closer to the trunk can accompany ash dieback. They do not show how strong the remaining wood is. An assessment also considers the base, main stem and any other signs of decay.
Removal is not automatic
Healthier ash may have some tolerance and can be worth retaining where safe. A declining tree beside a busy path needs a different risk assessment from one in an unused part of woodland. Monitoring must include a review interval and changes that should trigger another visit.
Why access can change as an ash declines
Dead or dying ash may be brittle, creating risks for people working in it. A tree that once suited climbing may need a different method. Do not wait for branches to start falling over an occupied area before requesting advice.
- Inspect the crown condition, structural integrity, and proximity to structures or public areas
- Give an honest assessment: monitor, reduce, make-safe, or remove
- If removal is needed, plan the work around the condition of the timber, brittle ash is more dangerous to dismantle than healthy wood
- Carry out the work in the safest practical sequence given the state of the tree
- Advise on replanting or follow-on clearance where appropriate
Tell Brad if an ash stands over a path, road, building or other busy area. That information helps assess the urgency of a visit.
Not sure what you need? Call Brad.
Tell Brad where the tree is, what needs doing and what the access is like.