Ash Dieback in Pembrokeshire: What’s Happening in Castle Pill Woods
- Jordan Thomas
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
🌳 Ash dieback is a disease affecting ash trees across the UK, including in Pembrokeshire. It is caused by ash dieback, a disease affecting ash trees across the UK, including in Pembrokeshire. It is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which weakens trees over time and can eventually kill them.
Since being identified in the UK in 2012, the disease has spread rapidly and is now widespread across Wales.
⚖️ Scale of the problem
Ash dieback is not a small or localised issue:
Up to 75% of the UK’s ash trees could be lost
Fatality rates can reach over 90% in affected trees
Only around 5% of ash trees may show some natural tolerance
Ash is a common and important species in UK woodlands, making its decline significant at a national scale.
🪵Local impact in Pembrokeshire
In areas such as Castle Pill Woods, near the Mount Estate, the effects are already visible.
Trees are being felled due to decline and safety risks, and sections of the woodland are being managed in response to changing conditions.
Work in the area has also included improvements to access, such as the addition of stone paths. While this increases usability, it raises questions about how long-term woodland health is being supported alongside these changes.
Ash trees are found not only in woodlands but also along roadsides, hedgerows, and open land across Wales, meaning the impact extends beyond a single site.
✅ Why it matters
Ash trees support a wide range of wildlife, including insects, birds, fungi, and lichens.
Their loss affects:
biodiversity
habitat structure
long-term woodland resilience
The impact is not just visual—it changes how woodland ecosystems function.
🌱 Long-term outlook
Ash dieback is a long-term issue.
Woodland recovery may take decades and will depend on a mix of natural regeneration and the establishment of other native species.
Current approaches in Wales focus on managing risk, supporting resilience, and working with natural processes rather than trying to eliminate the disease entirely.
🔎 Reporting ash dieback
If you want to get involved or help out, you can report signs of ash dieback through the Forestry Commission’s Tree Alert system.
Reports can include location, photos, and what you’re seeing.
By reporting it, you’re helping build a clearer picture of how the disease is affecting local woodlands.
Closing
Ash dieback is already affecting woodlands across Pembrokeshire, including Castle Pill Woods.
The changes may not always be obvious at first, but they are happening.
Sources & further reading
Natural Resources Wales – Ash Dieback Guidance
Welsh Government – Ash Dieback Policy (2024–2029)
Forest Research – Tree Alert System
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
NFU Cymru / APSE reports on ash dieback impact, which weakens trees over time and can eventually kill them.
Since being identified in the UK in 2012, the disease has spread rapidly and is now widespread across Wales.
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