Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Britain's ash tree dieback crisis and Ashtag app

Britain's 80 million ash trees are at deadly risk from ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea, a virulent fungal disease that has swept across Europe.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2012/nov/02/britain-ash-tree-dieback-crisis-interactive

But quick thinking environmental specialists at UEA’s Adapt Low Carbon Group have come up with a new smartphone app which will not only help monitor the spread of disease, but allow conservationists to target infected areas.

The free ‘Ashtag’ app will make it possible for anyone to take a photo of diseased leaves, shoots or bark and send it remotely to plant pathologists to identify whether or not the tree is infected.

http://ashtag.org