Consolidating approaches to mitigate the ash dieback disease in the Baltic States and Germany

Ash dieback, caused by invasive pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, is a severe disease of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) that affects forest stands, seed plantations, clonal archives, progeny trials and forest nurseries for nearly 30 years in Lithuania. This is the longest disease history when compared to other participating countries. More than a half of the state’s ash stands are already lost due to this epidemic. It threatens the existence of Fraxinus spp. through the whole of Europe, including other Baltic countries and Germany. Options for management of this novel forest disease are currently very limited.

Project was dedicated for knowledge exchange between Baltic countries and Germany. Researchers shared information and discussed about experience of practical management of the disease and what can be done to increase resilience and mitigate impact:

1. Information on current ash dieback research and recent findings was exchanged.
2. Network of researchers between research fields (forest pathology and tree breeding) and countries was fostered.
3. Exchange of practical experiences with regard to ash dieback: searching (and maybe indicating) for effective means to control devastating ash dieback disease and to restore endangered populations of common ash was done.
4. Teaching and training of students by international experts was performed.

1. Seminar was organized at Nature Research Centre (Akademijos Str. 2, Vilnius, Lithuania).
2. A scientific training activity for students from universities was organized at the Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Institute of Botany at the Nature Research Centre (Akademijos Str. 2, Vilnius, Lithuania).
3. An international workshop, lectures and field trip were organized at Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering University of Applied Sciences (KMAIK) (Girionys, Kaunas distr., Lithuania).

Direct target group: approx. 90-100 persons in total.

Indirect target group: society (forest and land owners; the information was and will be (as all participants of the project are working in this area) disseminated through webpages of private forest owner associations, professional forestry press (journals, webpages, and other social media); the expected number reached audience over 100 people already, still, at least, forestry students at NRC and KMAIK will be informed (>100 students) every year.

1. Seminar was organized at Nature Research Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania.
2. An international workshop, lectures and field trip were organized at Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering University of Applied Sciences (KMAIK), Lithuania.