An ancient and highly-sacred Scottish tree, The Fortingall Yew, located on the Glenlyon Estate in Perthshire, is thought to be between 3,000 – 5,000 years old and possibly the oldest tree in Europe. Now, scientists claim it might be ‘dead’ in less than 50 years because tourists are tearing off its branches for souvenirs (Facepalms).

Environmental campaigners say the yew tree, which is the oldest in the UK and maybe in Europe, even though being caged inside the Fortingall Churchyard in Perthshire, has been left “in increasingly bad health because of tourists.” A Scotsman article said tourists are “chopping the branches off to keep for themselves” and Catherine Lloyd, coordinator of the Tayside Biodiversity Community Partnership, said: “They are attacking this poor tree” and “it’s stressed.”

more at ancient-origins.net