The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, or CAES, is reporting what it calls a “significant increase” in acorn abundance in the red oak group this year compared to past years.
The phenomenon is known as a “mast year” or “bumper crop” according to a report. In the northern corners of Connecticut, CAES expects residents to see an unusually high number of red oak acorns hit the ground.
“Nearly 87% of all red oaks in the study were documented with acorns compared to a historical average of 57%,” said CAES. “In contrast, all survey locations noted an acorn crop failure in the white oak group with only 9% of trees producing acorns compared to a historical average of 25%.”
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“A bumper crop can drive several ecological processes in our forests, such as the opportunity to help maintain and perpetuate declining oak populations while providing a nutritious food source to sustain wildlife populations throughout the winter months,” said Joseph Barsky, lead forest researcher for the study.
Twelve locations are surveyed in the state for acorn abundance on mature oak trees each August, according to a report.
“Masting events can also lead to higher rodent populations, which serve as primary reservoir hosts for numerous human pathogens including the bacteria that causes Lyme disease,” said Dr. Scott Williams, Chief Scientist, Department of Environmental Science and Forestry, in a statement.
