What is killing my shrubs?

I planted some haskaps, aronia, currents, raspberries, hazelnuts and other herby stuff a few years ago trying to get a little forest garden going.

I got this big old black current bush from someone who didn't want it anymore and planted it.  One year I got a ton of woodchips dropped off and did the cardboard / woodchips thing everywhere between all the plants.  Maybe later that year, or the next year, the big black current plant started dying; leaves turning yellow, orange and dropping off until dead.  Then the same thing started happening to the aronia bush next to it.  I thought "hopefully this sorts it self out" and left it at that.

Next year or two the disease is spreading more.  I lose more aronia, a hazelnut drops off, as well as a pea shrub.  Now, haskaps are getting it and other smaller currents.  Some comfrey is looking rough too.

Basically since the disease has been killing stuff, I have left the area alone.  Other than coming in with the weed eater hear and there to open things up around the plants.  I have attached some pictures here of where things are right now with haskaps, aronias and currents.

Any help on this would be appreciated.  I don't want this moving to other things in my yard...

Wow! That's really sad.

Could it have been something in the wood chips rather than a disease?  I don't know herbicides but maybe one that kills woody growth?
Is it just the woody bushes damaged and not the other green plants growing around them?

reread and saw that your comfrey is affected also.