Oak tree plague now confirmed in Monroe County NY, near Rochester
By Andrew Harris
Tree lovers, foresters, and landowners have been hoping and praying that a destructive fungus that kills oak trees would remain an isolated disease. The Town of Greece NY has confirmed that state arborists have found a diseased tree and are taking some steps to mitigate the spread. A statement from the town today:
The NYS DEC has identified the first confirmed case of oak wilt, a serious fungal disease that’s often fatal to oak trees, in the Town of Greece. We’re working closely with DEC to remove the infected tree and prevent further spread, and we’ll be monitoring oaks in the area of English Road and Vintage Lane, from 390 to Long Pond.
It is unclear if the fungus has spread but by the very nature of this fungus, it seems very difficult to control. Oak wilt spreads either via insects or interconnected root systems, meaning all oak trees nearby the infected tree are at risk.
On the heels of a massive die-off of White Ash trees due to regional infestation of the emerald ash borer beetle, those who love the majestic oak have reason to be worried. Oak trees with
Officials are asking for extra vigilance in the Rochester area but really all of our region. Trees with oak wilt have been confirmed in Finger Lakes Region and east of Rochester in Ontario county. Here are signs to watch for and a detailed look at oak wilt from Exploring the Western NY Wilds by Bob Confer:
• Sudden leaf wilting/drop between now and the end of August
• Browning leaves beginning at the edges
• Branch dieback from the top down
If you spot these signs on your own oak tree, snap a photo and report it to the DEC: https://dec.ny.gov/…/forests-trees/forest-health/oak-wilt.
Remember: avoid pruning oaks March-September, when the beetles that spread this disease are most active.
After watching the regions white ash trees largely eliminated by the emerald ash borer beetle, and the elm before that, and the beech before that, and the great chestnut blight before that, the loss of our regions trees is a climate disaster happening in real time. We published this popular opinion piece in 2024:
