It is said that the coming of Chalara, or Ash Dieback disease, to Europe will probably devastate many of our forests with an estimated 80% of our native Ash trees likely to succumb. Such a catastrophic disease will, of course, change woodlands like Fineshade for ever.

We are beginning to see some of the immediate effects and recently Forestry England have been marking those affected trees that could fall across, or drop branches on, the main walking tracks.  Over 250 such trees have now been marked with pink dots and the plan is to fell all these later this year. Timber will be removed and where possible will be sold to the firewood or biomass markets.  Unfortunately, in a couple of locations this will involve almost all trees being taken down, including where tracks pass through the Ancient Woodland area just north of the carpark. Here the plan will be to replant and protect new growth with deer fencing.

In other parts of the wood, away from the main visitor tracks and where it is safe to do so, the infected trees will not all be felled, but left to provide dead wood that will benefit wildlife.  FE have estimated that across the whole wood, including the clearfell areas, approximately 2000 Ash trees may eventually need to be felled, but it is worth remembering that the total number of trees in the wood is, very approximately, 1.5 million.