Join our Research Mission: Save The Ash Tree
By embarking with us on this project, you’re joining a community of likeminded ash tree guardians committed to protecting one of the UK’s most iconic species. The catastrophic threat of Ash Dieback is on the rise, and swift action is needed. If we don’t stop the spread of this disease, up to 80% of our ash trees could be lost.
Take Part
By embarking with us on this project, you’re joining a community of likeminded ash tree guardians committed to protecting one of the UK’s most iconic species. The catastrophic threat of Ash Dieback is on the rise, and swift action is needed. If we don’t stop the spread of this disease, up to 80% of our ash trees could be lost.
The aims
of our
research
Keep trees standing
Slow down mass felling
Protect UK woodlands
Increase immunity
Guard biodiversity
Give Ash trees a fighting chance
Join a community of likeminded people, trying their best to Save The Ash Tree.
Open
Sourced
Data
Largest Biochar Treatment Trials in the UK
Keep trees standing
French research has shown 20% of Ash trees have a genetic advantage which increases their immunity against Ash Dieback disease, and will likely survive. We must keep as many trees standing to protect the gene pool, produce immune offspring and give evolution a fighting chance.
Grass
Roots
Research
Give Ash trees a fighting chance
Join a community of likeminded people, trying their best to Save The Ash Tree.
Open Sourced Data to help academic research
Largest Biochar Treatment Trials in the UK
Keep trees standing
French research has shown 20% of Ash trees have a genetic advantage which increases their immunity against Ash Dieback disease, and will likely survive. We must keep as many trees standing to protect the gene pool, produce immune offspring and give evolution a fighting chance.
Grass
Roots
Research
Want to know more?
01
What is biochar?
Biochar (pronounced bio - char), is organic material – wood chip, garden trimmings – that has been heated at high temperatures in the presence of little to no oxygen. It can be used as horticultural charcoal or charcoal for gardening to improve soil fertility and plant health. In addition, biochar sequesters carbon.
02
What is Ash Dieback?
Ash Dieback is a chronic fungal disease of ash trees in Europe characterised by leaf loss and crown dieback in infected trees. It is estimated to kill 80% of our Ash trees in the UK, devastating the woodland ecosystem and causing a knock-on effect, pushing Ash-related species into extinction risk.
03
How can biochar protect Ash trees?
Biochar has a vast surface area and porous properties. These pores make it better at retaining water and nutrients, attracting beneficial immune-supporting microbes to the root zone. The result is an increase in microbial activity in the soil, and more available nutrients and water for the tree. Research suggests the abundance of microbes, nutrients and water, relieves stress and supports the immune system of the tree, helping it fight off the disease. One independent study found biochar to reduce infection rates in young trees.
We need to test biochar on many more Ash trees, all across the UK, to fully understand the effects. This is why we started our Research Mission and opened it up to citizen scientists to take part.
04
What is the research mission?
In 2023 we were awarded grant funding from Innovate UK to test biochar treatment on a small number of Ash trees, and figure out how we could then run large trials across the UK. We developed the research mission: Save The Ash Tree.
Landowners, communities, households, anyone who has an Ash tree and would like to take part can sign up to be a Tree Guardian. We will send you biochar to apply to your tree, and ask you to catalog photographs over time to monitor your tree's health.
The research mission is crowdfunded and can be sponsored by individuals, councils, and businesses who wish to support our work. This funding pays for the production and delivery of biochar to the Tree Guardians, and the maintenance of the database which houses the photographs.
05
How can I take part?
Simply fill out our Register Your Interest form. You can choose the role you would like to take, and you can choose more than one:
Tree Guardian – you have access to a tree you would like to treat
Research Sponsor – you would like to sponsor the research mission
Advocate – you would like to help spread the word
When you complete the form you will be sent a welcome pack and instructions on how to take part.
06
How can I treat my Ash tree?
You can sign up to be a Tree Guardian and treat your Ash tree using our Register Your Interest form. Click here to complete it.
Whether you have 1 tree or 1000 acres of woodland we would like to hear from you! We have worked with large landowners, local parish councils, schools and individuals. Everyone fits the bill. If you have an Ash tree and would like to take part in our study, please complete the form. We will send you a welcome pack, instructions and organise a date for your biochar delivery.
07
Why is biochar sustainable?
When biochar is made from 'waste' wood, we are preventing CO2 from entering the atmosphere. This is because if the 'waste' wood was left to decay or incinerated, the carbon atoms would return to the air. When we make biochar we lock the carbon atoms in the molecular structure where they will remain for 100s of years.
For every tonne of biochar we make, we are preventing 2.5 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the environment.
Our biochar production process is independently verified, meaning all emissions are taken into account. The process is carbon negative - we remove more carbon than we emit.
08
What will happen to the research data?
We have built an online database where you can upload photographs of your Ash tree overtime, this is how we monitor the health of your tree. This database is open-sourced for academics to access. We protect your privacy by anonymising the photograph uploads. Each tree is given a random unique ID, and the photographs are tagged with this ID. Your personal data is not included in the data collection.
09
Does cost money to take part?
No. We are dependent on sponsorship and crowdfunding to run this research mission. We do not ask Tree Guardians or Advocates for any money to take part. All we ask of you is a little bit of your time to treat a tree and spread the word.
10
How much biochar do I need?
We will calculate how much biochar to send you based on the number of trees you have. It's a simple treatment process. You sprinkle biochar around the base of the tree trunk, extending out to the crown. Try not to trample the undergrowth and instead scatter the biochar evenly from a distance.
