A massive ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood has officially been “loved to death.”
The famous Major Oak in England’s Sherwood Forest, which has stood for roughly 1,200 years, has died after failing to sprout any new leaves this spring. According to environmental experts, the iconic tree was ultimately done in by its own fame; decades of heavy tourism compacted the surrounding soil, which combined with recent intense heat and severe drought, damaged its ancient root system beyond repair.
The legendary tree is famously celebrated as the outlaw shelter for Robin Hood, the 13th-century folklore hero who stole from the rich to give to the poor while evading the Sheriff of Nottingham. While conservationists called the loss of the millennium-old giant heartbreaking, they emphasized that the skeletal remains of the Major Oak will be left to stand as a vital, permanent symbol of Sherwood Forest’s rich history and folklore.
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