Farewell to the Ash Trees, Ash Die Back

A humming sound woke me up this morning. As I opened my eyes, the sun was gleaming on my face, and I wondered what was going on.

I walked towards the window, half asleep, but the sight woke me up. The trees were gone.

The houses across the field are now visible.

No wonder it was so bright when I woke up this morning; the trees that had been shielding nearby were gone.

Out of curiosity, I went out and asked, "Why are these trees being chopped?" The man answered, "They are diseased; it is called Ash die back. A lady nearby got hit by a falling ash tree. For safety reasons, they have to go." I was gobsmacked after I heard that.

The street that had been sheltered by them now looked naked.

The village is brighter.

but those lovely trees are gone.

No wonder why the other day I saw an ash tree on the ground blocking my way; the trunk is rotten inside. How sad.

Apparently, Ash dieback is a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, first identified in Poland in 1990 and has since spread across Europe. It is believed to have originated in Asia, but most Asian ash species have better resistance to the specific fungus.

Thirty years ago, foresters and researchers were worried about the possible devastating effect of this fungus and tried to research measures to prevent the end of the ash trees.

But it seems to be happening now. Many trees have been chopped down in the southern area. Hopefully, researchers will be successful in exploring the potential for using resistant ash species in breeding programs to develop hybrid varieties in the future.

Even my most favorite old ash tree, full of vigor and beauty, is now just a piece of wood stump.

I guess that is life; sometimes, we cannot control what comes our way; we can only try to prevent.

The good thing is they still serve a purpose, and life carries on. Some wildlife has lost a shelter, but others have gained, like mushrooms now have rotten wood stumps to grow on.