Robin Hood's legendary Major Oak dies after up to 1,200 years in Sherwood Forest

Britain’s famed Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is believed to have died after around 1,200 years, with its first spring leafless signaling decline. Experts cite a combination of factors—including long-term structural interventions, heavy tourist footfall compacting the soil, and climate-related heat and drought—as major contributors. The tree will remain as a wildlife habitat and national monument, while saplings from the tree have been planted worldwide to preserve its legacy.