Ash Dieback Disease Threatens 120 Million Trees

The city of Koblenz expects many trees to become diseased or die due to drought this year, requiring them to be felled. Some trees are already affected by a fungus that spreads more easily in weakened specimens. City tree manager Stefan Dalli noted that street trees are particularly vulnerable because asphalt and paving limit their access to oxygen and water. Trees in Koblenz are under threat from drought and fungal infections. The proposed solution involves studying naturally resistant trees to understand their immunity and breeding from them to repopulate wild areas. A challenge in these repopulation efforts is that ash seeds typically require years in the ground before they begin to grow.