Ash trees in Whitbarrow Nature Reserve

Image: © Andy Waddington Taken: 1 Oct 2021

High up on the plateau, the Ash Trees are looking very stressed, but here in the more sheltered woodland, most, like these, are looking quite healthy, although there are still a few (mostly smaller ones) which seem to be affected by Ash Dieback Disease, The diverse mixed nature of the broadleaved woodland here must be a help - disease spreads much more quickly in monocultures. As well as Ash there are birch, oak, holly, alder, hawthorn, hazel and some patches of beech, as well as the odd non-native like the weed sycamore. The forest floor is, however, widely covered by bracken (the world's single most invasive species apart from humanity).

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