Dying Chestnut Trees

national | environment | opinion/analysis Monday July 12, 2010 16:13 by Farrelly57 - Private

The Death of Chestnut Trees

A new problem is affecting our Chestnut Trees and felling these green giants with speed everywhere across Ireland.

Chestnut Tree Death.
While living in Germany in 1996 I became aware of a new problem that was killing Chestnut Trees. It was felling these green giants with speed everywhere across Europe.
I was not been able to discover the exact cause as there was much debate on what exactly was responsible. It seemed like a combination of a fungal disease and a leaf miner insect, possibly even something else.
Then in 2005-06 I noticed it beginning here.
It may be that the leaf miner defoliates the tree and then due to drought and heat stress the fungal disease overruns the resistance the tree has. It may be that the insect is carrying the fungal spores into the trees as has happened with Dutch Elm Disease, it may be another host or some other problem with another means of entry?
I still have not managed to get a definite answer; in fact no one seems to want to answer me here at all!
Death in most cases happens about three to five years after the problem has appeared and the problems appear first as yellowing and curling of the leaves, leading to premature leaf drop, then crown thinning and eventually death.
Many different attempts have been tried on the continent to arrest or stop this problem
including some small and local alternatives which seem to work somewhat, in Ireland though there has been only silence.
Since I started to track this I have brought my findings and concerns to many Government Departments, Institutes and Groups but as of yet I have been treated as if I am inventing a problem. Sadly it is now visible for all to see.
There may be work going on in an attempt to halt or slow it here but if so I am unaware of it.
Over the last five years I have been monitoring four strands of Chestnut Trees in four separate locations.
The locations are on the Hill of Tara, on the main thoroughfare through the Phoenix Park, in Griffith Park Glasnevin and in the grounds of St Josephs School on the Navan Road.
All these places have/had large stands of mature Chestnut trees and all were healthy when I started five years ago.
This year, for the first time the trees that are dead, ill or dying now outnumber the ones that are healthy and well.
Chestnut tress are non native but they have been planted in all our parks, estates and towns over a span of centuries. They are also found in some numbers in our old woodlands. They make up a sizeable proportion of all our amenity trees, they are huge things of beauty, habitat and ecological value and it would be strange if they are allowed die without acknowledgement, care or an attempt to help them.
John.

http://dyingirishchestnuttrees.blogspot.com/