SUN JOURNAL • August 1, 2025
A new forest disease identified in Maine just three years ago is now present in all counties, raising concerns among ecologists and wildlife managers as it targets one of the Northeast’s most ecologically valuable trees. Beech leaf disease is caused by a microscopic nematode, a worm, and causes leaves to present with dark banding and curling, eventually causing a dieback from the tips of branches inward to the tree. The leaf disease can attack saplings and seedlings, which endangers the species from long-term spread and growth. It’s causing great concerns about the production of beechnuts, a source of food for many of the state’s native species. Only a few experimental treatments in controlled environments have shown any promise in killing and preventing the disease. There are no known methods for containing the disease or eradicating it in natural settings.