A large number of tree species, after yielding to the influence of an almighty wind, might seem shattered and broken but, from that splintered stump, they will often begin to grow again, forming a ‘pollard’ (see the photograph above). This natural occurrence retains a great deal of value for wildlife because trees, especially the older they become, offer a range of habitats within their crown, stem and roots. As well as general appeal for bats and birds, these micro-habitats might be adopted by ‘specialists’ that rely on very particular conditions. These specialists include insects, fungi, lichen, ferns and bryophytes.
Even when a tree has no chance of coming back (such as with the sessile oak mentioned earlier) we remove the less substantial ‘brush-wood’ for safety reasons and retain the framework (or skeleton, if you like) of the tree and allow it to rot down, providing habitat and sustenance for a wide variety of wildlife for the next 20-30 years. If we were to tidy away or burn this material we would be eliminating an essential and enormously beneficial stage of the woodland ecosystem.