Woodland Crisis as Tree Disease Spreads Across Nature Reserves

A leading wildlife charity has warned of a growing woodland crisis, as thousands of trees across local nature reserves show signs of disease. The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (BCN Wildlife Trust) says tree health is deteriorating at an alarming rate.

The warning follows the results of the trust’s largest-ever woodland monitoring survey, which assessed nearly 6,000 trees across its reserves. The findings revealed that 29% of all trees surveyed were affected by disease.

Ash trees were identified as the worst-hit species, with 82% showing signs of ash dieback, a highly destructive fungal disease.

Ash Dieback Remains a Serious Threat

Ash dieback was first identified in the UK in 2012 and has continued to spread rapidly over the past 13 years. According to the Wildlife Trust, the disease has already caused widespread damage across Europe and resulted in the loss of thousands of trees nationwide.

Josh Hellon, Monitoring and Research Manager at BCN Wildlife Trust, described the findings as “very worrying,” highlighting the long-term risks to woodland ecosystems, biodiversity, and native wildlife.

Long-Term Monitoring Across Multiple Sites

The Woodland Condition Monitoring Survey, which began in 2021, has now covered 21 woodland nature reserves. Survey teams carefully map every tree within sample areas, recording detailed health indicators such as trunk girth, canopy condition, and the presence of wildflowers on the woodland floor.

“This is the biggest assessment of the health of the woodlands in our patch we’ve ever undertaken, and the results are very worrying,” Mr Hellon explained.

“Our conservation teams are getting very used to managing the impacts of ash dieback and other tree diseases, and these results show the stark numbers we’re dealing with.

“Ash dieback is having the biggest impact, with 100% of surveyed ash trees infected in some woodlands.”

New Woodland Management Techniques Being Trialled

In response to the findings, the trust is testing new woodland management strategies to protect vulnerable habitats. These include:

• Spraying deer repellent on young saplings

• Removing severely affected or unsafe trees

• Addressing waterlogging issues

• Reducing trampling damage to wildflowers

• Comparing different approaches to managing ash dieback

Mr Hellon said these trials aim to improve woodland resilience and adapt conservation practices to the growing impacts of climate change and disease.

The Wildlife Trust says continued monitoring and adaptive management will be critical to safeguarding the future of UK woodlands. Without intervention, tree disease could have lasting consequences for wildlife, carbon storage, and natural landscapes.

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At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.