Restoring diseased treescapes: Responding to the loss of Ash and Elm in the UK

Weldon, James 2026. Restoring diseased treescapes: Responding to the loss of Ash and Elm in the UK. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Given the growing prevalence of tree disease outbreaks, and the prominence of both tree planting and ecological restoration on the policy agenda, it is important to develop a better understanding of the values and motivations driving the conservationists working with post-disease treescapes. This thesis explores the processes, practices and narratives involved in the restoration of treescapes from disease, and the ways the distinctive ‘planty’ abilities of trees shape these conservation efforts. Through interviews, participant observations and secondary data analysis, this thesis asks: what specifically are the responses to tree loss trying to restore? The research presented in this thesis is based on two case studies: the response to ash dieback in Devon and the loosely connected group of people working in elm conservation and restoration. This thesis brings the variety of different responses to disease into conversation with each other. Therefore, it addresses the lack of in-depth qualitative research into ongoing conservation projects restoring UK treescapes in the aftermath of disease and the efforts to memorialise tree loss. Through the lens of belonging, and the multiple forms belonging takes, this thesis engages with both the spatial and temporal dimensions of treescape restoration. This involves a critical analysis of some of the foundational concepts and debates in conservation and ecological restoration, for example: restoration’s temporal orientation, ‘nativeness’, the taxonomy of species and the numeric calculation of conservation goals. A contribution of this thesis is to develop an expanded, multispecies definition of the term ‘treescape’. While it is not possible to neatly summarise the variety of meanings and values associated with these trees and treescapes, this thesis argues that their restoration is simultaneously orientated towards the past and future, local and national scales, and at trees on an individual, genetic, species, and numeric level.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Tree disease; restoration; ash; elm; belonging; hybrids; plant geographies; treescape
Funders:	ESRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 May 2026
Last Modified:	12 May 2026 13:58
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186938

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