SAVE OUR TREES
Don’t let famous redwoods become dead wood!
THEY are some of the tallest and most magnificent trees in Europe.
The avenue of giant redwoods, which reach almost 200ft, have been growing since 1863.
But experts fear the trees, at Benmore Botanic Garden in Argyll, are under threat.
They warn the bare branches, thinning crowns and mysterious black liquid seeping through the bark are all signs of ‘stress’.
Unless urgent action is taken, they say, the trees could succumb to fungal infection and even die.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which runs Benmore, is appealing for funds to tackle the waterlogging believed to have affected the trees’ root systems.
Peter Baxter, Benmore’s curator, says the trees are now ‘existing
‘Without remedial work, they would die’
rather than growing’ and showing signs of dieback. He fears that the iconic redwoods could become susceptible to diseases such as phytophthora, a fungus-like pathogen that can rapidly kill a mature tree.
He said: ‘Being on-site every day of the year and observing them, we are seeing thinning of foliage, less extension growth and some of the lower branches defoliating, and we are convinced this is accelerating.
‘We need to take action, otherwise they will go into further decline.
‘When a tree is under stress its ability to fight off disease lessens and it becomes susceptible to pathogen attack. They would be less able to fight off disease and sustain themselves. Without remedial work, ultimately they would die.’
Mr Baxter added: ‘It could take tens of years if it’s a slow decline because of roots not being in the healthiest state, and certain pathogens starting to work away at the plant, but if an aggressive phytophthora comes in, we’ve had trees at Benmore showing the first signs of stress and being dead within three months.
‘I’m not in the business of scaremongering but some of these plant diseases can kill a mature tree in a very short space of time.’
The trees – native to California – stand at up to 183ft tall. At only 156 years old, they should still be developing – but need nutrition.
The avenue was the main vehicle access to Benmore House for many years, and now only a thin layer of topsoil supports the turf over the original road. Soil compaction, increasing rainfall and limited drainage has caused waterlogging around the trees’ roots.
An estimated £70,000 is needed to start the first phase of remedial work, with a similar sum potentially required for a second phase.
Mr Baxter said: ‘We need the money or we would see the trees go into further decline.’