New Canaan Sentinel article by Kate Dzikiewicz
Over the past century, Connecticut’s forests have endured repeated waves of invasive pests and diseases. Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight, and other destructive pathogens have wiped out once-dominant tree species, permanently reshaping the composition and character of our woodlands. Today, our forests face another serious threat: Beech leaf disease.
American beech trees are a foundational species in many Connecticut forest ecosystems and among the most common native trees in our region. Their nuts provide a rich source of protein and fat for wildlife, including squirrels, wild turkey, black bears, and numerous bird and small mammal species. In good health, beech trees can live an extraordinary 300-400 years and when grown in open areas such as parks and yards, their trunks may reach two to three feet in diameter. Connecticut is home to several remarkable specimens, including a magnificent beech in Greenwich Common Park off Greenwich Avenue. This tree is part of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s town-wide Arboretum. Arboretum Curator Lisa Beebe found that the trunk measures 14.5 feet in circumference, or over four feet in width!
Unfortunately, beeches in our forests, parks, and backyards are now under grave threat. Since its arrival in Connecticut, beech leaf disease has spread rapidly. Without intervention many of the state’s beech trees could be lost in the coming years, but emerging treatments are offering new hope.
Read the full article here.