What is ash dieback and how does it affect Kent?

Ash dieback is a fungal disease caused by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (formerly Chalara fraxinea) that is expected to kill 80% or more of UK ash trees, according to the Forestry Commission. Kent is among the worst-affected counties because of dense ash populations along chalk-downland hedgerows, the Stour valley and Kentish lanes.

The fungus blocks the tree's water transport, kills the crown from the top down, and then weakens the trunk and roots over 5–10 years. Once dieback takes hold, the tree cannot recover. Felling and stump grinding are the only permanent answers.

Will an ash tree grow back from a stump?

An ash stump can throw fresh shoots for 1–3 years after felling, but a healthy ash will rarely regenerate fully from the stump alone. With ash dieback present, regrowth is even less likely because the fungus persists in the wood. Grinding to 200–250mm below ground level removes the cambium layer and ends regrowth permanently.

If the felled tree was a hedgerow ash, expect basal shoots in spring. These are easy to cut back but never fully die without grinding. A single grinder pass to 200mm typically settles the question for good.

What percentage of ash trees survive ash dieback?

Around 1–5% of UK ash trees show genetic tolerance to ash dieback, according to Forestry Commission and Future Trees Trust research. The remaining 95%+ will die or decline severely within 10–20 years of infection. Kent's mature ash population is therefore being lost faster than replacement planting can offset.

Tolerant trees are being identified for breeding programmes, but the next generation of disease-resistant ash is decades away. For homeowners and landowners today, the practical position is that almost every infected ash will need felling within 5–15 years.

Should you remove trees with ash dieback?

Yes — once an ash tree has lost more than 50% of its crown to dieback, the Forestry Commission and the Arboricultural Association recommend felling because the wood becomes brittle and unpredictable. Standing dead ash is one of the highest-risk trees in UK arboriculture, and stump grinding to 200mm+ completes the job.

If the ash is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, you still need consent to fell — even when the tree is clearly dying. Check whether you need permission to remove the stump before booking the work. Most councils, including Canterbury and Ashford, fast-track ash dieback applications because the public safety case is so strong.

How much does ash stump removal cost?

Ash stump removal costs £100–£280 per stump in Kent depending on diameter. A 12-inch garden ash grinds in 20–30 minutes for around £100–£140; a 30-inch hedgerow ash takes 60–90 minutes at £220–£280. Ash is a medium-hardness wood (Janka ~1,320 lbf) so grinding times sit between birch and oak.

Multiple ash stumps — common after a hedgerow felling programme — drop in price after the first. Each additional stump on the same visit is roughly 35% cheaper because the grinder is already on site. Six hedgerow ash stumps typically come in at £450–£700 total rather than 6 × the single-stump rate.

How is ash dieback affecting Kent?

Kent County Council has felled tens of thousands of roadside ash trees since 2019 as part of a multi-million-pound ash dieback action plan. Rural lanes around Ashford, Wye, Charing and the Kent Downs have been hit hardest, with whole hedgerow lines lost. KCC continues a rolling 5–10 year felling programme.

The visible impact is sharpest on the chalk downland north of Ashford and along the Stour valley. We work the same ground every week clearing stumps left by KCC's contractors and by private landowners on adjacent farmland. If you are in Ashford or the surrounding villages, ash dieback work is now most of what we do.

Is ash dieback dangerous to humans?

Ash dieback poses no direct health risk to humans, but infected ash trees become structurally dangerous. Dead ash wood becomes brittle within 12–24 months and can shed limbs without warning, especially in wind. Falling deadwood from roadside ash has caused fatalities in the UK — felling at first signs of major crown loss is the safe course.

Spores are airborne but not harmful to people, pets or livestock. The risk is purely mechanical: a dead ash branch is heavier and more brittle than a living one, and the failure point is unpredictable. Climbing arborists usually decline to work in heavily diseased ash and prefer to fell from the ground or with a MEWP.

How deep do ash tree roots grow?

Ash trees grow a moderately deep, wide-spreading root system typically reaching 600–900mm deep and extending 1–1.5x the canopy width laterally. Most structural roots sit in the top 300–600mm of soil. Stump grinding to 200–250mm removes the visible stump and major surface roots; deeper roots decay naturally over 5–10 years.

Ash roots rarely cause subsidence on the scale of oak or poplar, but on shrinkable clay (less common in Kent than in London) they can contribute. On chalk and loam — the typical Kent soils — ash roots break down quietly underground with no impact on neighbouring planting once the stump is ground out.

Get a fixed-price quote for ash stump removal

We cover Canterbury, Ashford and the 27 towns within 15 miles. Send a photo of the stump (or stumps, if you have a hedgerow line), a rough diameter and your postcode, and we return a fixed price within the hour. Most ash jobs are completed within a week of acceptance — request a free quote to start.

We also work directly with KCC contractors, parish councils and farm estates on multi-stump ash dieback clearance. For larger jobs in Canterbury and East Kent, day-rate pricing usually beats per-stump pricing once you pass 8–10 stumps in one location.