NJDEP Urges Residents to Check Trees for Beech Leaf Disease, Already Confirmed in 12 New Jersey Counties ?

The NJDEP is urging New Jersey residents to check trees on their property for signs of beech leaf disease and report their findings to the New Jersey Forest Service. Beech leaf disease was first detected in Bergen and Essex counties in summer 2020 and is now confirmed in 10 additional counties. This emerging forest health threat is impacting native and ornamental beech trees, including American, European and Oriental beech in the Northeast. Initial visible symptoms are dark bands between leaf veins, which are best seen when holding a leaf up to a light source. At first, symptoms may only be present on a few leaves within a single branch, making initial detection difficult. As the disease progresses, more leaves become affected and additional symptoms, including browning leaf edges that begin to curl, leathery leaf texture and early defoliation, may become apparent. Eventually, tree mortality will occur. 

To date, beech leaf disease has been observed in Bergen, Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties. Residents with questions or suspected beech leaf disease outside the aforementioned counties may contact the New Jersey Forest Service’s Forest Health Program by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (609) 292-2532.