CARAVAN PARK AUDITS WILDLIFE AS ASH THREAT LOOMS

Wildlife on a Lakeland holiday caravan park could be under threat if ash die-back disease hits its 130 acres of woodland according to the concerned owner of the conservation-friendly business.

But while it waits for the deadly fungus to strike, Skelwith Fold in Ambleside has decided to ask its caravan owners to help it discover precisely what flora and fauna are at risk.

The park will then be able to evaluate if the coming onslaught does result in a total wipe-out - or if, as it hopes, certain types of wildlife and plants survive by re-locating in the woodland.

To help with its auditing project, Skelwith Fold plans to use the eyes and ears of visiting families next year to help identify what species are currently being supported by the threatened trees.

They will be issued with a list of flora and fauna associated with ash trees and asked to report if and where any are spotted. These will then be compared with sightings of the same species following any disease outbreak.

According to Skelwith director Henry Wild, the park contain thousands of ash trees which play host to many types of animals, birds, insects and plants.

‘The biodiversity supported by ashes is absolutely staggering,’ said Henry, whose park recently received the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for environmental care.

‘Birds such as the bullfinch feed on its seeds, and the leaves of the ash are an important food source for many types of moth including rare and endangered species.

‘In addition, hole-nesting birds like owls and woodpeckers make the ash their home, and even snails, stag-beetles and other insects rely on the ash as a food source or a habitat.’

More details are available from www.skelwith.com

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