A slow death

Dear friends

It is the time of the year when the leaf canopy is lush and verdant, and the woodland floor at its darkest. Except that it isn’t. There are parts of the forest floor which are lighter than they should be, as the canopy overhead is thinning. A good place to notice this is at the bottom of Whitehall Lane, just before the T junction. About a third of the trees in that stretch of woodland, from the bluebell cathedral down to the bottom, are ash trees. And they are dying. Ash dieback has arrived. Farther along the lane, by Rumerhedge Farm, a whole stand of diseased ash has recently been felled, and a small clearing now exists.

Ash dieback is a microscopic fungal infection which relies upon the yearly life cycle of the tree. It is a creeping death, moving by air blown spores from forest floor to leaf, from leaf to forest floor, slowly taking over the water transport system of each host, choking it of life from first the tips of branches to the trunk. Young trees die more quickly as they are less resilient. The fungus is native to ash trees in Asia – specifically the Manchurian ash, and Chinese ash, and does not cause much damage to these species. However its introduction to Europe about thirty years ago has been devastating to the European ash, as this species has no evolved natural resistance to the fungus. The disease was first recorded in the UK in 2012, and is now slowly spreading through the UK ash tree population. There is no known treatment. The Woodland Trust anticipates that about 80% of the UK ash tree population will be wiped out. Our landscape will be changed forever, as many of the ecosystems associated with the ash tree will also disappear.

What, if anything, can be done? Simple things like removing leaf litter from around diseased trees on our land, and burning it, will interrupt the fungal life-cycle. Reporting sightings of diseased trees on national websites will help scientists monitor the spread of the disease. Increasing biodiversity by including a tree or two in our own garden planting scheme will help all trees to have a better chance of developing  immunity from disease. Most importantly of all, just being observant, and noticing what is going on around you in the wider, wilder world. Can you tell an ash from an oak or a beech? Do wander down Whitehall Lane, and have a good look. You may be used to going there and looking down – for the bluebells. Next time, look up. The ash trees help provide the slightly dappled shade that the bluebells love. Once they are gone there will be huge holes in the canopy. Too much light and the bluebells will be choked by undergrowth. The balance of nature is being disrupted, the old harmonies muted. Trees are like old friends – comforting, faithful, reliable. And we will miss them when they are gone.

Worship Services for Sunday 28th July, and onwards.

9.30am Holy Communion at St John’s Stoke Row with Revd Romey Poston

11am Holy Communion at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Rev Romey Poston

Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm  410 935 129

Sunday Services continue throughout August at 9.30am at St John’s Stoke Row and 11am at St Peter and St Paul, Checkendon.

Thank you

all, very much indeed for your support of your local church. If you are going to be away during the summer, but wish to make a donation as a thank offering to your church, you can do so via this link.

I’ll be recharging my batteries too, and look forward to sharing a few more stories and thoughts with you all later in August. The next one of these missives will be on Tuesday 20th August, God willing. Thank you again, for your care, faith, friendship and joy.

There’s always too much to share, but here’s something important: “God, who is rich in mercy, out of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our sins, made us alive together with Christ – it is by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him in the heavenly realms, so that in the ages to come he might show the wonders of his grace in kindness to us in Christ. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of your own doing, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:4-8)

Peace be with you all

Kevin Davies