PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • 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. It’s causing great concerns about beech tree mast, or the production of beechnuts, a source of food for many of the state’s native species including black bears, deer and turkeys. There are no known methods for containing the disease or eradicating it in natural settings. Impacted forests are undergoing ecological transition as dieback opens up forest canopy. “One particular concern would be if invasive plant species proliferate and prevent the healthy regeneration of native tree species.”