Local oaks are dying

[hobiecat590]

When I moved into my current home I had like 12 mature oaks in the backyard. I've had to have about half of them removed including two this year. The disease that kills them seems to get under the bark and if falls away. The tree becomes leafless before/during that. I've notice the same thing in the local park. The guy who took down the last couple of trees said "black beetles" but I don't know. I haven't seen any major insect infestations except occasionally these bark lice?

Same experience here on the water except all the trees also have a blue/green lichen/moss/fungus(?) growing up the main trunk and branches. The pines are also seem to be dying at a faster rate.

 

[outrider58]

Same experience here on the water except all the trees also have a blue/green lichen/moss/fungus(?) growing up the main trunk and branches. The pines are also seem to be dying at a faster rate.

Lichen will grow on healthy as well as sick trees. They share a symbiotic relationship.

 

[mauser58]

I have noticed the past few years some of mine are getting defoliated on outer or top branches. Leaves die and branches dry and brittle. I am thinking once leaves are destroyed then no photosynthesis so it all dies.

 

[TXtransplant]

Moved to SOMD recently from Central Texas where oak wilt was decimating large areas of live oaks and other varieties of red oak. White oak varieties were mostly spared from the fungus causing oak wilt in Texas. The fungus spread through roots, so stopping spread involved trenching and other expensive interventions. Spread was also caused by tiny beetles that carried spores from diseased trees to healthy trees that had fresh “wounds” or had been trimmed and not “sealed“ where limbs had been removed. In the early days of the live oak die-off, trimming and removal of “sick” trees actually contributed to the spread because homeowners and less reputable tree trimming/removal entrepreneurs did not disinfect their chainsaws and other cutting tools between jobs. The spores “ride” on infected tools. Most Texans are acutely aware of this now and routinely disinfect their saws between trees. Without live oaks, Central Texas would be even more infested with cactus and the pesky mountain junipers than it is now. I’m still learning about tree varieties we have here in SOMD and have to say that Marylanders don’t realize just how fortunate they are to have so many forested areas that are open to public access.

 

[antco]

I feel I've noticed this as well on my small property as well as the forests around here. The deadfall is especially noticed when looking through the woods after a light snowfall.

Now while I have taken a lot of mostly healthy hardwood trees down from my property, it is in my 10 year plan to replant a variety of evergreen and hardwoods. Except this time they'll be where I want them.

 

[outrider58]

I confess, I've been praying for the pin oak in front of my house in the 'government strip' to die for years. I hate it. Now it's finally dying, but I'll probably be gone before it's gone.

 

[boothdoc]

More of my Oaks.

 

[Mr H]

Oaks are being lost in this neighborhood, too. But they are all of a similar age, and are likely the same original genetics, therefore potentially equally susceptible to disease.

Replanting, IMO, should be from a variety of stock, hopefully providing strength in numbers.

 

[outrider58]

Oaks are being lost in this neighborhood, too. But they are all of a similar age, and are likely the same original genetics, therefore potentially equally susceptible to disease.

Replanting, IMO, should be from a variety of stock, hopefully providing strength in numbers.

That's how it is here in my 'hood. In these cases, they are all nursery stock where there's no 'survival of the fittest'. Half the pin oaks here are either dying or are already dead.

 

[teratos]

I’m going with climate change. Gotta be.

 

[remrug]

More of my Oaks. View attachment 394655 View attachment 394655 View attachment 394656 View attachment 394656

Are you indoors with lights during the winter? I have some acorns from last fall,but its might be too late to start them

 

[Bountied]

I have lost 2 mature oak trees in the last 2 years.
$5k to remove both but I have enough fire wood for the next three years.

You need a better service. That is pricey. We have a guy that's done 3 oaks in our yard and they were $800 each. I have to split the wood but it's a lot better than $5K.

 

[outrider58]

You need a better service. That is pricey. We have a guy that's done 3 oaks in our yard and they were $800 each. I have to split the wood but it's a lot better than $5K.

A lot of that is location, location, location.

 

[K31]

I’m going with climate change. Gotta be.

Racism, racism and transphobia.

Oaks never died until colonizers showed up.

 

[gtodave]

I noticed that oaks were dying off a couple of years ago. Sad. It makes sense that they at the end of their life span and many are of the same cohort.

 

[remrug]

My mom has a couple of acres of oak woods. They are dying off at a rapid rate. There are zero saplings or seedlings left. Not sure if they are being devoured by deer or just not surviving because of disease. Most likely a combo of both.

 

[KingClown]

I confess, I've been praying for the pin oak in front of my house in the 'government strip' to die for years. I hate it. Now it's finally dying, but I'll probably be gone before it's gone.

A few copper nails could speed that up

 

[outrider58]

A few copper nails could speed that up

Where were you 25 years ago? Lol
It's actually well on its way out. Unfortunately I will have moved before then, so for now until then, it will continue to drop dead branches onto my truck and my lawn.

 

[CrawfishStu]

We are loosing oaks like crazy in my woods. I thought it was from ants because I find them in every one I cut when they are dead.

The beech trees are getting affected by bugs that produce some sort of white fuzz in large patches on beech leaves/branches. The dead leaves on the ground below these patches look like someone has been pouring acid in them. During the winter it turns black on the trees and kills anything it’s touching.

I'm pretty sure that you are seeing wooly aphids.

 

[tallen702]

My favorite tree is the American Chestnut and she was substantially taken down by the blight.

I hope the oaks fare better.

My second favorite tree is the sycamore and they seem to be everywhere here and doing well.

GMO American Chestnuts are to be planted for the first time outside of a controlled environment so long as the NIMBY azzholes don't ruin it for the rest of us. They tweaked 1 gene to trigger resistance to chestnut blight. Controlled studies have been made over the past decade and I, for one, think it's fantastic that the American Chestnut will return in force in the near future.

Along with the oak, the place has lost an enormous amount of Ash dead and falling down throughout the stream bottoms.

The Emerald Ash Borer has wreaked havoc on the ash population of the eastern US for nearly a decade now. It's also hitting oaks as the available ash trees begin to lessen in number.

I blame china and all of the pests they knowingly and unknowingly unleash on the world for most of it.

The introduction of a huge number of invasive species into the US is absolutely a form of warfare that we should not turn a blind eye to.

Oaks are very susceptible to fungi and we've been having very wet springs in the last few years. I'm not saying this is the overall cause, but doesn't help with already weakened trees.

Yep, likely a mix of various issues. Insects, viruses, fungi, climate, etc. all play a part.