PEOPLE in the Yorkshire Dales are being urged to take part in ‘Ashtag’ – a project to help combat a disease that can kill ash trees.

They are needed to report the spread of the ash dieback fungi and, most importantly, find trees that are resistant to it.

Acting as ‘citizen scientists’ they would be tasked with putting a metal tag on a mature ash tree, marking its location on an online map, ideally with some photos, and checking the tree for signs of the fungi once a year.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority can provide the tags and nails, along with step-by-step instructions and any other help and advice.

Ash dieback fungi – Hymenoscyphus fraxineus – has been confirmed in the National Park and parish councils have been asked to encourage people to take part.

Woodlands officer Daniel Atkinson said: “The response has been OK, but not quite the level we were hoping.

“The ash is an iconic tree species in the Dales. Many a picnic has been had under its dappled shade. It would be a terrible shame if ashes were to disappear from our landscape.

“To my knowledge a tree showing signs of resistance hasn’t yet been found in the park but it’s been estimated that there are approximately 1.2 m resistant trees nationwide. Surely that means there must be some in the Dales, which was historically an ash woodland.”?

If and when a resistant tree is found, it could be propagated with another naturally immune ash to create new, healthy stock.

Call 01756 -751648 or email trees.woodlands@yorkshiredales.org.uk for more information or to get involved.