Ash tree set for extinction in Europe
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35876621
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35876621
The End Of Ash Shafts?
- Thread starter Scaramouche
- Start date
They use North American Ash for cues 
They use North American Ash for cues
Yes, you are right.
Here is Dominic Dale:
Who is the best cue maker?
In my view, the best cue makers in the world are in Thailand. I’m a brand ambassador for Maximus Cues in Thailand – I use one of their cues and I can’t recommend them highly enough. They are so well made – the quality of the workmanship excels anything made in Britain, with the exception of a few bespoke cue makers. Most of the British cue makers will tell you that it’s hard to get good ash these days. Because of the growth of snooker in Asia, the cue makers there are buying colossal amounts of ash, and they are able to sift the good from the bad. Most of the ash comes from North America. In the old days of Burroughes & Watts, they used to use English ash, but our climate varies year after year and ash grows at different rates, therefore the grain wasn’t always good and the wood was sometimes too soft, full of knots or worm casts. The stable climates of North America tends to produce the best ash, although some of it also comes from Russia, Denmark and a few other places.
http://www.worldsnooker.com/all-about-cues/
Probably mostly to do with tradition although some say maple may deflect slightly more.