Ancient oak dies in Sherwood Forest

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The Major Oak, an iconic ancient tree in Sherwood Forest, has died. In its 1,200-year lifespan, it hosted Norman hunting parties and reputedly provided a refuge to Robin Hood’s band of outlaws, before becoming a venue for cock fights in the 19th century. Millions of tourists have visited the tree, which weighs 23 tonnes and has a girth of 11 metres, and it has been the focus of conservation efforts since 1906. But the oak had been declining for years, stressed by heatwaves, drought and the compaction of soil around its trunk, caused by the footfall of visitors. Well-meaning conservation measures, including the pouring of concrete into hollow parts of the trunk in the 1960s, may have hastened its decline. England has 114 living ancient oaks, more than the rest of Europe combined, but they face similar threats.