WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST?
Many of us might think that the more rain or humidity we get, the better for trees. This is true up to a certain amount. However, too much rain or humidity at the wrong time can be harmful to trees. This year, we’ve been receiving quite a few calls about trees losing their leaves prematurely. For instance, sugar maple has been suffering from leaves that turn brown/black and fall to the ground. This problem is caused from anthracnose. Anthracnose includes a variety of leaf diseases, which are normally caused by wet conditions, usually in the spring that later manifest in the summer. The good news is that trees normally don’t die from anthracnose; they will usually re-leaf in July and be fine. Hopefully, better weather conditions will prevail next spring.
Ryan Trapani
Director of Forest Services
Catskill Forest Association