The streets of Britain are already covered in leaves. Instead of vibrant green, many gardens, parks and woodlands are sporting hues of yellow to brown, as leaves pile up at the feet of the trees: after a dry and hot summer, the UK has entered a phenomenon – also visible in places in France – of “false autumn”. “Leaves are changing color and falling to the ground prematurely as trees go into survival mode due to drought,” the Horniman Museum and Gardens, a museum and park located in South London.
This early drop is due to the trees shedding their leaves in an attempt to retain moisture. If old trees with deep roots can resist this episode, the youngest are more vulnerable. “Trees secrete hormones which they use in autumn to shrink and ensure their survival,” explained Rosie Walker, from the charity Woodland Trust. “They will continue like this for a few years, but it will start to affect our trees if we are not very careful,” she told the BBC.
Temperatures topped 40 degrees for the first time in the UK in July, the driest month on record for many parts of southern and eastern England. This high heat, attributed to climate change, and months of unusually low rainfall have prompted authorities to ban the use of garden hoses to save water in some areas.
Fauna not at all adapted to this new calendar
Fruit appeared earlier than expected, such as wild blackberries, usually ready to eat in the fall but some of which were already ripe by the end of June, reports the Woodland Trust. Other berries and nuts have ripened prematurely, and therefore risk being depleted sooner, leaving some animals like dormice without sufficient pantries this fall.
“The climate crisis is bringing with it seasonal weather patterns that our wildlife are simply not adapted to,” said Steve Hussey, of the Devon Wildlife Trust in south-west England. “Our long, hot summer and ‘false autumn’ will impact many species into the true autumn months and beyond,” he warned.