State foresters Tuesday recorded the first deaths of beech trees from a disease that just arrived in the state four years ago and is now present in all 16 counties. Scientists say beech leaf disease could decimate a species that's common in Maine woods and an important food source for wildlife.
An invasive microscopic roundworm called a nematode causes the disease, which was first detected in Ohio in 2012 and has since rapidly spread north and east.
Aaron Bergdahl, a forest pathologist with the Maine Forest Service, said while checking a monitoring plot in the MidCoast Tuesday morning, scientists made an unfortunate discovery: the first tree deaths from the disease.
"A tough dose of reality of what this disease is actually doing in the state, and kind of a foreshadowing of what we can expect to see throughout large acreages in Maine," he said. "And I think that's going to be very impactful when people realize that one forest that they used to walk through is no longer similar to what it was, and it's dying or dead."
Nutrient-dense beech nuts are also an important food source for wildlife, including black bears and the rare early hairstreak butterfly.
Bergdahl said there are currently no practical forest-level treatments for beech leaf disease, but there are for homeowners. He urges people to be vigilant to look for symptoms such as dark banding on leaves. And to limit spread, Bergdahl said only burn firewood where you buy it.
More information about beech leaf disease and management options for homeowners can be found on the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry website.
