THE first recorded case of Chalara ash dieback has been identified in the Huddersfield area.

About 1,700 saplings have been incinerated on a six-acre site at Farnley Estates nursery at Farnley Tyas.

Co-owner John Sykes, a former Scarborough Conservative MP, said it was “a crying shame” that the outbreak had occurred on his land as the crop was taking a good hold with very little wastage.

But he said farmers were inured to taking such things “on the chin”.

He said the nursery began an investigation towards the end of October when estate manager Paul Elgar suspected the disease had arrived.

It emerged that all the seeds were indigenous to the UK but had been sent for propagation to Germany.

Mr Sykes added: “We suspected there was a problem.

“Defra confirmed the existence of Chalara on October 26. Work began on the 29th to uproot them all and burn them, along with their stakes. That work was finished by November 2.

“Our next priority is to protect mature ash trees on adjoining ancient and semi-natural woodland. We will receive new saplings to replace the affected ones.

“The saplings were being grown as a Biomass crop for providing fuel in the future. I was disappointed by what has happened but not surprised.

“We had high hopes for the crop. It would have taken 10 years to come to fruition but now those hopes have been dashed but you have to take these things on the chin as a farmer.

“Members of the public can help us by their vigilance. If they recognise any of the symptoms please call Paul Elgar on 01484 667744.”

He added: “We take our responsibilities very seriously as landowners and so we have had to take this bull by the horns.

“The main thing is to ensure that the fungus doesn’t spread, but we will not know before next spring whether there has been any contamination to the rest of the estate.”

There is no compensation for dieback.

The Farnley Estate, which is situated three miles from Huddersfield town centre manages more than 1,500 acres of farmland and more than 500 acres of woodland with over 30 properties in and around the picturesque village of Farnley Tyas.

Some of the woodland dates back to the reign of Henry VIII.

So far 82 sites in the UK, including 32 cases in forests and woodlands, have been confirmed as being affected by the disease.

A handful of cases have been confirmed in the Yorkshire area including sites near Tadcaster, Leeds, Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Some scientists warn the outbreak has the potential to devastate the UK’s population of 80 million ash trees.

Yesterday a Government summit heard the latest update on the situation after hundreds of officials spent the weekend investigating sites for the disease.

Already there are fears that it could already be too late to stop Chalara fraxinea becoming established in the country.

The meeting was chaired by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who will attempt to assess the extent of the disease and what can be done to tackle it.

Dr Glynn Percival, an expert on tree diseases said ash dieback is “beyond containment and beyond eradication”.

On October 29 the Government introduced a ban on ash imports and the movement of trees from areas with confirmed cases of dieback.

The majority of confirmed cases have been recorded at nurseries or sites where young ash trees had been recently planted.

The fungus is deadly with 90% of Denmark’s ash trees destroyed in just five years.

It is thought the infection in native trees has been caused by the fungus being carried on the wind from mainland Europe.

Dr Tony Whitbread, chief executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust, said that although it was difficult to know the impact of the disease, he added: “To say that it will make the Dutch Elm Disease look trivial is an understatement.”

Ash is one of the most common trees in the country, after oak and birch, and as such a very important species within the UK’s hedgerows.

The common ash tree can reach heights of more than 40 metres and can live up to 400 years.

Given its longevity it has an importance for many species of wildlife.

It supports specialist deadwood species such as the lesser stag beetle and hole-nesting birds including owls and woodpeckers.

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