This is why you can already see a lot of leaves on the ground in Zoetermeer

Have you also noticed that some trees in the park or in your garden are dropping their leaves? Is fall extra early this year, or is there something else behind it?

“The fact that trees in Zoetermeer are already losing their leaves has nothing to do with the autumn season, but with a survival mechanism,” says Marcel van Dun of Staatsbosbeheer.

Drought

“Trees that are already shedding their leaves are doing so in response to the drought. A lot of water evaporates through the leaves. It is precisely this water that the tree needs to survive. By repelling the leaves, more moisture remains in the tree,” says Marcel. Last year the trees also did this during the summer, but not as early as this year.

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Less resistance

Dropping leaves is a smart way to survive in this drought, but in the long run it can also have disadvantages for some trees. Trees perform photosynthesis through leaves. If that doesn’t happen, trees absorb less sugars and don’t replenish their food supplies. This gives the trees a weaker resistance, so that the trees can get sick more quickly.

Oak and beech

Fortunately, not all trees are affected by the drought. For example, the oak trees in the Noord Aa recreation area are hardly affected by the heat. Beech trees, on the other hand, are very sensitive to drought, so you can already see those leaves on the ground.