Last week in the wood that we manage, a large ash tree, with a madien growth form, was blown down. It snapped approximately four metres from the ground, revealing a mass of holes in its heart wood, probably from the larvae of one of the larger beetle species. While the loss of any veteran trees is sad, this event does bring two benefits to the wood. The hole in the canopy (pictured above) will allow light to reach part of the woodland floor for the first time in decades and it will be interesting to see what comes up from the seed bank in this new microclimate. Second, the standing snag and fallen trunk will provide additional dead wood resources so vital for a healthy invertebrate community and so often absent in today's manicured woods.
JW
JW