Ash Virus - Is Rowan (Mountain Ash) affected?

First tree I cut down was an Ash. Carved a spoon out of it with a cage on the end with a trapped ball in it. It wasn't seasoned enough & developed a split in it

 

I was speaking to someone yesterday who is involved with The Forestry Commission. OMG from what he told me the Ash problem is going to be as bad as what happened with our Elms. He has a wood about 2 miles from where I live and his Ash are infected. The infected Ash are also dangerous to fell as they are diseased inside and 2 he felled went the "wrong" way to what he suspected. I have 3 massive Ash and a fair few smaller ones. He is 100% certain they will be affected and told me not to get them felled by anybody other than a real expert....£ signs flashing before my eyes, plus I have no desire for them to be felled. He told me that the disease is spread by birds and certainly Crows are very keen on congregating on mine. The problem 1st appeared in Poland about 3/4 years ago and has basically wiped out the Ash population there. I thought being out in the country and well away from any mass planting of new Ash that we'd escape, but from what he told me this is not the case.Hellish.

 

Fingers crossed Silu.

 

Chalara fraxinea is able to infect any and all species of ash tree.

Nowhere in the UK is able to successfully grow the quantity and quality here in the UK. The trees imported from abroad are, technically, native UK trees as ash seeds are sent abroad to great big tree nurseries on the continent to grow. Once they reach a specified size they are then returned to the UK for use.

Doubtful. What is his source of that information?

I suspect that is down to his felling technique rather than the tree itself.

No-one can make a claim as bold as this. The genetic diversity in ash trees means that some trees will be less affected than others, and some will even be immune to it. Within a number of generations disease resistant ash trees will begin to replace the ones killed off by Chalara, as is shown in Japan, where this disease has been around for millions of years and now lives symbiotically and harmlessly within its host.

A slight chance of this. These microscopic spores and easier borne on the wind in their millions rather than hitching a ride on the fur or feathers of animals (or footwear of humans!)

An exaggeration

 

Thanks for your observations Harmony Arb. The hellish comment made was due to the massive quote I have been given by our local Arborists to have 1 tree (see photo) removed. If your company can fell it, process what is useable for burning in a smallish wood burning stove and remove the rest for less than £1000 please let me know. I can think of a lot better ways to spend my money than having to get this tree removed which I don't want to do. I will know the fate of this tree come the Spring as the Scottish Forrestry bods have already had a look at it and are returning in a couple of months time.
Let's hope you are right and my informant is wrong altho he wouldn't be too impressed re your inferring he doesn't know how to fell trees! The next time I see him I'll ask where he is getting his info from. He owns large areas of forrest and therefore has a vested interest in just how bad the Ash problem is.

 

Thanks for the info on our other types of Fraxinus. I will keep an eye on them for any disease.
If i do have to fell them, can I use the wood for our wood burning stove?