Ash–fraxinus spp.

photo of Ash trees.

Both black and white Ash are common trees across Ontario. Black Ash is often associated with wet sites in central and northern Ontario. White Ash is more common in the south on drier sites. Ash in Ontario has been impacted dramatically by emerald Ash borer over the past few years, especially in the southwest.

Ash has a very hard and strong wood and has been used for tool handles, baseball bats and furniture, but is used as pulp and is excellent firewood. Ash represents very little of Ontario’s annual harvest, and is 0.5% of its growing stock volume.

Map of Ash relative occurrence

map of Ash distribution in Ontario indicating low (light brown), moderate and high (dark green-brown) levels of relative occurrence.

Enlarge map of Ash relative occurrence

Area and proportion of Ash in the AOU (area in hectares)

Statistic Crown Parks and protected areas Other Total
Total Area Containing Ash 289,334 48,825 467,024 805,183
1-25% of stand 256,855 41,701 394,952 693,508
26-50% of stand 19,749 4,321 45,884 69,954
51-75% of stand 7,002 1,486 14,656 23,143
76-100% of stand 5,729 1,318 11,532 18,579
Average Proportion in All Forest (%) 0.1 2.0 0.3 0.4
Area of Ash Working Group 23,557 5,380 53,706 82,643

Growing stock volume of Ash in the AOU (volume in thousands of cubic metres)

Statistic Crown Parks and protected areas Other Total
Gross Total Volume 7,057 1,416 14,143 22,616
Net Merchantable Volume 5,271 1,060 10,328 16,659
Current Annual Increment 67 13 155 235

Ash working group area by age class

vertical bar graph of the Ash working group area by age class including brown for Crown, green for park and grey for other.