This huge old beech tree stands in the grounds of a stately home in Douglas, and recently lost around 50% of its crown due to a fungal decay (Ganoderma australe) causing a massive branch to collapse under its own weight.
We know trees are an important part of our local landscape and a vital part of the local ecology, but now more than ever must we be preserving the island’s trees. The island has less than 6% total tree cover, compared to 12% in UK and 35% in Europe, and with the scheduled removal of approximately 20% of our plantations as a result of larch disease, our tree numbers will hit a major low.
This large Ash tree, although stable, had been subjected to soil compaction that had caused root die-back. Loss of some of the root system had lead to the tree’s decline and the formation of substantial deadwood in the crown. This tree would have never recovered, but instead continued to die back until it posed a significant risk.
CO2 in our atmosphere has been a hot topic for some time but the evidence of its effects on our trees, and the way in which our trees can mitigate its effects, is slowly coming to the fore. The following information is a collection of facts outlining how increased levels of CO2 may be both a bad thing and a good thing for the future of our forests and woodlands.
This huge old beech tree stands in the grounds of a stately home in Douglas, and recently lost around 50% of its crown due to a fungal decay (Ganoderma australe) causing a massive branch to collapse under its own weight.
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