Fitzwilliam Malton Estate Planting for the Future

Although woodland represents only a small part of the Fitzwilliam Malton Estate’s wider portfolio of commercial and residential properties, the Estate places equal importance on caring for its woodland, trees and public safety. 

In the winter of 2025, the Estate removed 350 tonnes of diseased and declining ash trees (suffering from ash dieback) from Long Plantation woodland to reduce the further spread of this devastating disease and to help keep the public footpath safe. 

What is ash dieback? 

Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is a highly infectious fungal disease that originated in Asia, threatening up to 95% of the UK's native ash trees, equating to over 100 million trees. Up to 95% of infected ash trees in the UK are expected to die as a result of the disease with devastating consequences to the environment and local ecology. 

The economic cost to the UK is predicted to reach up to £15 billion; with the economic impact to landowners coming from direct tree management costs, legal liabilities, public safety works, timber market devaluation, and long-term land restoration expenses; often having to be delivered without any prior budgetary allocation. Financial responsibility and impact for trees on Fitzwilliam Malton Estate land being no exception.  

Working closely with Forestry Commission England, the Estate has secured grant funding through the Countryside Stewardship’s Woodland Tree Health Grant. This will provide a contribution towards the cost of replanting the area, with 1,600 native trees being planted in autumn/winter 2026. 

A further outcome of this project is the expansion of Long Plantation woodland.

Working with Mr Philip Monkman, an estate tenant farmer, the Estate has secured additional land, running parallel to the original site.  The new area of planting will see 3,500 new trees planted to increase species diversity and almost double the size of the woodland area.  Species to be planted are beech, oak, scots pine, field maple, wild service tree, hornbeam, hazel, blackthorn, holly, western red cedar, and western hemlock. 

The Estate is also fortunate to receive support for this new woodland area from EWCO (England Woodland Creation Offer) which will provide a financial contribution to support the Estate’s financial investment into Long Plantation. 

The project of felling and replanting with enhanced biodiversity contributes to nature recovery, alongside wider social and recreational benefits for those walking the North Yorkshire Council’s public right of way footpath, aligning with objectives set by Forestry Commission England. It also supports the North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy, supporting the region's growing nature network. 

The team of Dan Cammarata-Hall (Forestry Manager) and Deaglan Hunter Blair (Assistant Estate Surveyor, Malton) have been supported by an in-house team, professional advisers, and local contractors.