After drought of 2010 in the Republic of Tatarstan aspen was drying. In 2011-2016 a study was conducted to determine the extent of shrinkage, identify patterns in shrinkage of stands, different in age, composition, types of forest conditions, fullness, with laying of temporary and permanent sample plots. The shrinkage reason was the drought of 2010 and the subsequent infection of aspen by bacterial dropsy. The drought has affected all aspen forest zones of the Republic of Tatarstan, a greater degree of attenuation are ripe and overripe aspens. There are no dependencies of shrinkage from the type of forest conditions, composition, completeness and diameter. The carried studies have revealed the dynamics of species change after the continuous sanitary felling in mixed aspen-birch stands, exposed to desiccation. Birch in the forest-steppe zone for its 40 years almost completely lost the ability to coppice after felling and does not participate in the formation of a new stand. After shrinkage of mixed aspen-birch forests the pure aspens of coppice origin with low commodity properties are formed. The nature of drying aspen after bacterial dropsy disease differs from birch: there is thinning of the crown and the bark on the trunk cracking, its peeling it. After drying the wood decay begins on the perimeter in the butt, which together with the inner rot, leading to a breakdown of the trunk at height of 1.0 - 2.5 m, and formation of windbreaks. At the top of the stem above the breaking, the wood remains clean and can be used in the first year as the firewood. It is necessary to tidy shrunken and withering aspen trees in the first year of shrinkage, when the process of timber destruction is not yet begun and timber felling is not associated with risk to life.