Ash die back

Ash Die Back or Charala (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) got a foot hold in British forests because our national bio-security has been piss poor, too often trumped by commercial interests and the pursuit of profit; and it's not the only disease or pest threatening our flora and fauna either. Ash (Fraxinus) makes up 20% of British woodland, that's a lot of threatened woodland, man; and scientists suggest up to 90% of our Ash trees could be lost! Ash dominated the woodlands known as 'Under Win Green' and 'Water Gutter' which cling to the combes below Win Green Clump, today though they're a sorry sight. I first explored these woods whilst on a hazelnut collecting mission some 30 years ago; I've always liked exploring, and there weren't the 'Private' signs there are now....well, I didn't see them.  It's terrible to see these and other woodlands so badly ravaged by Ash Die Back, but more than that, it's infuriating knowing it probably could've been avoided, or at least abated with due diligence. I'm old enough to remember the carnage wreaked by Dutch Elm Disease; it's inconceivable to think we didn't learn and therefore are destined to relive the experience.

Chase Woods

Chase Avenue; the great beech avenue running through Chase Woods.

 

Ooh!

Ooh, this is the third or forth morning in row now that we've had a fairly hard dusting of frost. I'm glad I've not got anything in the ground yet down the lotty; the last few years of increasingly predictable unpredictable weather has taught me that early planting isn't necessarily the good strategy is was.

Backley

The Sun may have been out over the forest this morning, and lovely it was too; the winds though were bitter, coldest for a while I reckon. With the beautiful days we've enjoyed recently it's been easy to imagine winter vanquished; it isn't though, and we should remember we're not yet beyond the reach of winter's icy fingers.