I have been reading with a degree of puzzlement the controversy surrounding the plan to rename Skipton Woods as Skipton Castle Woods because there is a certain irony at work here.

When the castle was an important defensive strong point – as in the English Civil War when its Cavalier defenders held out for two years against its Roundhead besiegers – the woods would not have been here at all: all ground around the ramparts would have been cleared to deprive the attackers of cover.

On the other hand, the woods have been an important and wonderful amenity to Craven locals for decades and are known to most simply as “the woods.” But to thousands of visitors who throng the town every year, they are probably unknown. The trippers tend to concentrate round the High Street and the canal and many must leave without realising they have missed one of the jewels in the Dales’ crown.

Now I admit to a certain bias here because the name change is being promoted by one of my favourite charities, the Woodland Trust, which manages thousands of acres of woodland round England and Wales and is anxious to get more support for its work from the general public. It feels that the title “Skipton Castle Woods” would help in this drive by tempting visitors to have a look-see.

And the trust has very good reason: the country is being swamped with fungus diseases which are threatening to kills off our ash, horse chestnut, and even our mighty oaks. Fighting this dire emergency takes time and money: the trust has already felled an entire forest of infected larch trees in Wales.

With an eye to a worrisome future, the trust is giving away free saplings to be planted by schools, community groups or any other interested organisation. It is difficult to think of a more rewarding gift for your children and grandchildren. For more details, see their website or ring 0845 293 5689.