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‘Most famous tree in the world’: Sherwood Forest’s 1,000-year-old Major oak dies
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- The Major Oak, one of Europe's oldest and largest ancient trees located in Sherwood Forest, England, has died after failing to produce leaves due to stress from recent hot, dry summers linked to climate change.
- The tree, estimated to be over 1,000 years old, has long been a cultural icon associated with Robin Hood and attracted around 350,000 visitors annually, despite suffering from soil compaction and damage caused by tourism and historical interventions.
- Conservation efforts by the RSPB since 2018, including soil aeration and root feeding, were unable to reverse the tree's decline, which was exacerbated by heatwaves, drought, and structural supports that strained its health.
- Experts highlight the tree's death as a result of multiple factors including climate change, poor soil conditions, historic damage, and human impact, emphasizing the challenges faced by ancient oaks in the UK, which are considered ecologically and culturally significant.
- Although the Major Oak is now lifeless, it will remain standing to provide valuable habitat for wildlife, as deadwood supports a quarter of forest species during their lifecycle.
