We were awarded more than £5,000 by the Red Tile Wind Farm Trust for the vital work at Wistow Wood in Cambridgeshire. The SSSI ancient woodland is home to many species of wildflower, lichen, moss and fungi but with ash dieback taking hold and some affected trees causing a safety hazard to visitors we made the decision to remove them and replant the area with a mix of 1,000 new native trees.

Eamonn Lawlor, West Cambs Reserves Manager, said: “Thanks to this funding Wistow Wood will be given a new lease of life. The work to remove the affected trees may initially appear destructive but in the medium term it will create a more structurally complex woodland with a mix of bare areas, young growth and mature trees, which is a much richer habitat for wildlife.

“Then in the longer term natural regeneration will eventually result in new trees establishing. The composition of the wood will change as ash is replaced by other species but hopefully, over time, resistant strains of ash will also appear. We will kick start this process by planting native trees, diversifying the mix of species, and looking towards making the wood more resilient to a future warmer climate.”

The site has been continuously wooded for at least 400 years old, meaning it is defined as an Ancient Woodland, a habitat which is rich with species which rely on each other for their survival.

We are planting more oak and field maple, as well as adding small-leaved lime, aspen and wild service trees. The work also involves restoring old pollard oaks and creating new ones. Pollarding involves cutting back a tree periodically to a short trunk that grows a dense head of foliage and branches, adding to the structural complexity of the wood.

Ash dieback is affecting many other woods in Cambridgeshire and further afield. If you would like to help us replace trees and make our ancient woodlands more resilient for the future please visit our appeal page http://www.wildlifebcn.org/appeals/ash-dieback-fund