Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the ecological effect of ash dieback disease in rural areas.

Rory Stewart, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs: A series of research projects, jointly funded by Defra, has looked into the ecological impacts of ash dieback and investigated possible woodland management options which might ameliorate the problems caused by ash dieback. The results from this work have been published at:

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5273931279761408.

The research found that there are tree species that share ecological traits or support some of the species associated with ash trees. However, there is no single tree species that would be able to fill the niche provided by ash in terms of both its ecosystem characteristics and biodiversity contribution.

The Forestry Commission provides advice to woodland managers about how best to manage and adapt to ash dieback, for example by planting a variety of tree species as diversity brings resilience to pests and diseases.

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