Yes one of the reasons I got disillusioned with FSC, Woodland Trust, Forestry People etc, they all advocated the use of it!
I don’t know for sure but I feel this is why trees like Ash, Oak, Chestnut etc are all under threat.
I have started Scything around my trees & then putting the mulch back ‘near’ the tree trunk. I have also got new Oaks(& others) coming up from ‘no-where’; very exciting!