Storms linked to El Niño could threaten England's trees, with some species at risk of disappearing from the landscape, according to a recent warning from a tree expert. Following one of the driest summers on record, many trees across England and Wales are in a weakened state. Nearly three-quarters of the country faced drought conditions, and the UK experienced its warmest summer ever, with an average temperature of 16.5°C over June, July, and August. The Met Office has also predicted that the upcoming El Niño event—marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific—will be the strongest in over a century, bringing heavier rainfall and more storms this autumn. Kevin Martin, Head of Tree Collections at Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens, has raised concerns about the impact of these conditions on England’s trees. He explained that the extreme heat and drought of this summer have left trees under significant stress, and this stress is likely to continue into autumn and winter. Increased storms and strong winds, expected due to El Niño, could cause further damage. "Dry soils have already weakened the root systems of trees, making species like oak and beech especially vulnerable," Martin said. He warned that these common trees may no longer be found in the landscapes they are traditionally associated with. The loss of trees could have wide-reaching consequences for the environment, ecosystems, and flood prevention. Martin emphasized that trees support biodiversity, store carbon, and help manage water flow, reducing the risk of flooding. He called the record-breaking summer of 2026 a "wake-up call" to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and rethink how landscapes are managed. He added that research at Kew is exploring ways to diversify landscapes and introduce tree species better suited to future climate conditions. "We have the chance to shape what our landscapes will look like in the future, but we need to act now," he said. El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterized by the warming of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, which occurs every few years. Recent studies suggest that climate change has intensified El Niño events. Julia Cole, a professor at the University of Michigan, warned that the current El Niño is not just inevitable but potentially more severe than previous ones. She noted that the event is occurring alongside global warming, which could amplify the effects of rising temperatures typically linked to greenhouse gases. "The question is not whether this El Niño will happen, but how severe it will be and what its impacts will be," she said.