From climate change to polluted waters to pythons, there’s always something threatening the beauty and serenity of the Everglades ecosystem. The latest monster is a fungus, and it’s killing trees at a stunning pace.
“Laurel wilt is one of the most devastating tree diseases we’ve seen, it’s incredibly fast moving,” said Jason Smith, a University of Florida scientist who is studying the scourge. “It kills trees within a couple of weeks, and within three to four years, all the trees larger than three inches in diameter are dead in a forest.”
