Ancient ‘Robin Hood’ tree dies after 1,200 years: Experts weigh in on what happens next

Experts believe that a massive ancient oak tree has stood in the center of an iconic timberland for hundreds of years and may have been loved to death.

However, the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said that the 1,200-year-old Major Oak in the UK’s Sherwood Forest is presumed dead because it did not sprout leaves this spring.

The conservation group shared a surprising fact: visitors who viewed the tree’s deformed limbs and architectural shades compressed the soil around it which ultimately made it difficult for rain to reach its roots.

It has been observed that the forest has been under major threat for years and the conservation group’s announcement that the tree is presumed dead verifying that it has finally succumbed.

In a statement announcing the death, Hollie Drake of the RSPB said: “The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heartbreaking for everyone.”

It is crucial to note that a Robin Hood-13th-century bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and took shelter in the forest when being pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

It was given its name when it was mentioned in a 1790 book on oaks by Major Hayman Rooke, leading to the first wave of fans who flocked to the forest. 

At present, it is impossible to say what caused the tree to die, but the footprints of millions, triggered its undoing along with the intervention to shore up its massive limbs using cables and poles.

In this connection, Ed Pyne of the Woodland Trust said: “Ancient trees like the Major Oak are the 'conservation white rhinos of the UK' but their decline is far less visible.”

“Saving them is vital to the health of the world we live in and yet most disappear quietly, without the recognition or care given to the Major Oak,” further added.

Conservationists used special irrigation equipment to hydrate the tree’s roots in a significant bid to protect it from rising temperatures. Despite its place in folklore, the forest is known for Sherwood oaks that built the ships of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Royal Navy in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Drake further said that the Major Oak will continue to stand at the heart of Sherwood as environmental marvels. Visitors can still come to experience its connection to the legend of Robin Hood, while the tree continues to provide pivotal support to the forest’s biodiversity.