Summer droughts throw future of 1,000-year-old Robin Hood tree into question
Group races to save famous Major Oak as heatwaves threaten health
- The historic Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, reputedly a hiding place for Robin Hood, is in poor health.
- Recent summer heatwaves and droughts are hindering efforts to care for the 1,000-year-old tree.
- The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is carrying out a programme, started in 2023, to improve the tree's root health and soil conditions.
- The tree's poor health is attributed to compacted soil, restricted water and nutrient flow, and a lack of vital fungal interaction around its roots.
- Climate change, with increasingly hot and dry summers, is exacerbating the challenges faced by the ancient Major Oak.