New Disease Ravages Beech Trees Across LI; Report Signs, DEC Says

NEW YORK — A newly-discovered tree disease has been decimating beech trees across Long Island, New York State and parts of the Northeast. Because beef leaf disease is novel and not well-understood, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking residents to report signs of the blight so the state can track its spread.

The disease's hallmark sign is striping on the leaves of beech trees, affecting both native species as well as ornamental beech trees. Discovered in Ohio nine years, ago beech leaf disease was first spotted in Suffolk County in 2019, and Nassau in 2021.

Science magazine explained that the rapidly-growing threat majorly threatens Northeastern forests, where beech trees is one of the main tree species. The disease has now been found in eight states and in Canada.

The DEC is attempting to study and track the spread of the disease, which kills mature beech trees in six to 10 years and young saplings in as quickly as one year. The symptoms appear from May to October in the tree leaves and "include striping, curling, and/or leathery texture. In early infestations, only a few leaves may be affected. Eventually, affected leaves wither, dry, and yellow," according to the DEC.

The departments asks residents who spot the striped, diseased leaves to take photographs of the leaves, bark and the entire tree and submit to foresthealth@dec.ny.gov.