dead oaks - not sure what the cause is.

[blazer]

Visiting Shotover woods near Oxford I noticed two areas of oak woodland where the central area is dead with dying trees radiating outwards to say 60m diameter. Most of the dead/infected oaks are young dying from the tops down, say 6"-12" diameter with like a dry black tar in cracks in the bark.

 

Just wondered if the infection will continue and all dead trees need to be felled, plus is it ok to use the wood for firewood or will this cause the infection to spread.

 

I work P/T with the rangers so will pass on any info - thanks in advance:thumbup1:

[openspaceman]

Visiting Shotover woods near Oxford I noticed two areas of oak woodland where the central area is dead with dying trees radiating outwards to say 60m diameter. Most of the dead/infected oaks are young dying from the tops down, say 6"-12" diameter with like a dry black tar in cracks in the bark.

 

Sounds like AOD a mixture of ills

 

Forest Research - Acute oak decline

[blazer]

Many thanks 'catweasel' this fits the description spot on, I have passed it on to the rangers. One problem is the enviro 'bug' types who see dead trees as an asset for insect life, so by leaving dead infected trees can cause a problem.

 

Thanks again:thumbup1:

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

In a forest scenario Oaks will often die in competition with Armillaria being the primary weakness parasite of oaks in such a scenario, hence the tar spots often attributed to what is collectivley known as AOD.

 

Oaks dont like competition, thinning them out is a good move, nature will do it anyway.