MARYLAND — Spring has just begun, and many people are enjoying the outdoors, but experts say there’s a new threat that could cause more harm than the dreaded spotted Lanternfly infestation.
It's called Beech Leaf Disease. It's not harmful to people but it's very harmful to trees.
It's growing rapidly in the Mid-Atlantic region and is caused by a microscopic worm, that creates fungal growth and has the potential to kill the infected tree, putting our ecosystem at risk.
The disease is new, and there’s no way to fully stop it. However, scientists are working on a way to slow the spread.
One of the best methods of prevention is reporting the problem, experts say if people notice leaves are striping, curling, or have a leathery texture, residents should contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
"Young trees are the ones that are most at risk. The larger trees, the more mature ones are not succumbing as quickly or as severely. However, that's a big problem because if the saplings aren't replenishing the forest, then we're not going to have those beeches in the future,"
Visit DNR here: https://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx