Beech tree disease continues spreading in Vermont

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - A recently discovered disease spreads deeper into Vermont forests, and it’s moving fast.

Beech trees are a common and essential part of Vermont’s landscape, and their nuts are a popular food source for wildlife. The relatively new beech leaf disease threatens that.

David Klinkowski’s garlic wins awards at local fairs. A few years ago, he was clearing his land to grow more when he noticed something odd.

“The trees didn’t seem right. They were all pitted, some were dying. So I did some investigation and found out that there’s a bigger problem than I thought,” said Klinkowski.

That problem: beech bark disease. It’s been in Vermont for decades.

Scale insects eat away at bark, leaving vulnerable spots where fungus infects the tree.

Most of Klinkowski’s beech trees