Residents of Risinghurst are disconcerted as the beloved C.S Lewis Nature Reserve is hit hard by the deadly ash dieback disease.

 

The disease, caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea, has been spreading rapidly throughout the UK, killing thousands of ash trees and leaving a devastating impact on local wildlife and ecosystems. It was first identified in the reserve last year, and has spread swiftly, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The C.S Lewis nature reserve is located in Headington and is named after the famous author of the Narnia series because it served as inspiration for the woods in Narnia. The reserve is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species, including a variety of wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. The reserve's ash trees are particularly important, as they provide habitat and food for many species of wildlife. The reserve is home to many species of birds, small mammals, and insects and also has a pond that attracts different species of dragonflies, damselflies and frogs.

There are over 350 fungi species in Shotover and the C.S Lewis nature reserve, but none as hostile as the fungus that causes Ash dieback. Many species depend on the reserve and its ash trees for survival, and the trees’ absence not only destroys the natural beauty of the area, but also threatens their lives here. Muntjac and Roe deer are commonly sighted in the reserve, as are badgers and the endangered black hairstreak butterfly and hazel dormouse. 

The reserve’s management team has been working tirelessly to try and suppress the spread of the disease, implementing safety works approved by Natural England and the Forestry Commission. Trees that were at risk of falling onto local houses as a result of the disease  have had to be cut down.

However, things aren't all bad, as the piles of felled trees are being used as a natural habitat for the abundance of wildlife species residing in the nature reserve, such as beetles and birds. Some ash trees will be left to die naturally as they do not threaten public safety, and restoration measures are in place for felled areas using natural regeneration.