Forestry and Land Scotland establish UK’s second 'Ash Archive'

Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, has hailed Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) important contribution to a major cross-border Ash tree conservation project.

FLS has established an Ash archive – only the second in the UK – in Perth & Kinross as part of the Living Ash Project, which is managed by the Future Trees Trust. The Scottish archive has been established as part of £700,000 of Defra-funded research.

The 1.5ha archive will grow trees resistant to the disease, Ash dieback, in a bid to conserve and eventually restore Ash trees in Britain.

A serious fungal disease that causes leaf loss and crown dieback, Ash dieback is usually fatal in younger trees, and weakens older affected trees that then succumb to secondary diseases.

Ms Gougeon, said;

“The ongoing impact of Ash dieback, which was first identified in the UK back in 2012, has been a major blow for Ash in the landscape.

“Thousands of affected trees were destroyed, which also had a devastating impact on the interconnected network of almost 1000 other species - birds, mammals, insects, lichens and others – that are linked to or entirely depended on this species of tree.

“The risk from that disease is still present and deterioration is ongoing. That is why it is absolutely vital that Forestry and Land Scotland step up to manage and maintain this second archive and grow disease resistant trees drawn from surviving Ash from around the UK.

“I wish the project every success in restoring this highly functional and very beautiful species to its rightful place in the landscape.”

The first archive was established on the public forest estate in Hampshire in 2019. Establishing this second Ash archive in Scotland - to be managed and maintained by FLS – creates a geographically distinct facility that will help to disperse the risk of the archive trees being lost to the disease.

The Perth & Kinross trees are grafts of the strongest and most successful trees grown in Hampshire as well as many more recent selections that have been subjected to the disease for a longer period. This mix of provenances serves as a reservoir of genetic material that will help the scientific community’s efforts, both to understand this disease - and potentially other tree diseases – and to research potential countermeasures.  

It is anticipated that the archives will ultimately play a part in helping to restore Ash trees across the landscape throughout the UK.

Notes to editors

1. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
2. Home - Forestry and Land Scotland | twitter.com/ForestryLS
3. Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 07785 527590 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot