A 1,200 year-old tree said by folklore to have sheltered the outlaw Robin Hood has failed to produce any leaves this spring—leading to fears that it has died. The Major Oak tree, located in England’s Sherwood Forest, has long been a place for visitors to stand in awe of its age, and its possibly mythical connection to the country’s most famous outlaw. Legend has it that he hid under it from the evil Sheriff of Nottingham while he stole from the rich to help the poor. The tree’s death is said to have been caused by many factors related to climate change, particularly by visitors’ footsteps in the forest, which have compacted the soil and prevented water from reaching the tree’s roots. According to Ed Pyne of the Woodland Trust, ancient trees are essential to conserve, yet their decline is frequently overlooked. “The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone,” Hollie Drake, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said in a statement Thursday. The Major Oak will be remembered as one of Europe’s oldest and most celebrated trees.
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