New ash dieback guidance for local authorities launched

The toolkit draws on APSE’s previous ash dieback survey

The second edition of the Action Plan Toolkit for local authorities designed to assist land managers to meet new challenges of dealing with ash dieback - a highly destructive fungal disease affecting ash trees - was launched by The Tree Council and Defra at the APSE Parks Seminar 2025.

Five years on from the toolkit’s original publication, there is now a valuable opportunity to learn from new research and benefit from the practical experience gained by local authorities and other key organisations. The Tree Council compiled an updated version of the toolkit, bringing together the latest evidence and sharing up-to-date case studies. It is designed to help local authorities meet new challenges and work through different considerations as they shift from the planning and awareness phases, to action and recovery.

Jon Stokes, The Tree Council’s Director of Trees, Science and Research, launched the new guidance to an audience of over 100 local authority representatives operating across the UK, at the APSE Parks Seminar 2025, hosted at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester.

Jon Stokes said: “The roadmap set out five years ago was to proceed with careful thought, vision and proactive intervention. Many local authorities have risen to their ash dieback challenges and found effective, practical solutions to address the additional risks, significant cost and practicalities of management and the loss of biodiversity in their communities. This updated toolkit presents approaches generously shared by local authorities at the forefront of taking action. We hope that these practical insights will help others facing similar challenges.”

Matt Ellis, Principal Advisor at APSE, said: “Local authorities across the UK have shown remarkable dedication and resilience in tackling the challenges of ash dieback, developing innovative and proactive strategies to manage its impact. This updated toolkit captures and shares the wealth of knowledge gained over the years, ensuring that councils can continue to protect our treescapes. By learning from each other’s successes, we can build a more resilient landscape for future generations.”

The Tree Council led research into the early responses and coping strategies of public landowners to this widespread disease, since it was first discovered in the UK in 2012.
Ash is the third most common broadleaved tree in Britain and there are an estimated 60 million ash trees outside woodlands in the UK. Now widespread across England, Wales and Scotland, ash dieback causes leaf loss and canopy decline, and in many cases leads to the death of the tree.

View the toolkit here