Visitors to one of Britain's best-loved beauty spots are being urged to stop carving initials into tree trunks, as rangers warned it's causing "lasting harm."
Experts said it's often mistakenly thought of as a "relatively harmless act of vandalism", with examples etched into trees in parks and woods across the country.
But the Lake District National Park Authority is warning that carving can seriously damage trees, causing decay and fungal damage.
In some cases, it can even result in trees having to be chopped down, as woodlands officer Olivia Wass explained how small carvings can have big consequences.
She said: "When you carve into a tree, you're cutting through its bark - the tree's protective outer layer that shields it from harm and into the living tissue underneath (the cambium) that is essential for transporting water and nutrients.
"Trees don't heal in the traditional sense. A wound doesn't close over like a cut on skin. Instead, the tree grows new wood and bark around the damaged area to seal it off.
"This process takes time and energy, and the original injury can remain inside the tree for life."
Experts say that for thin-barked species - including beech, birch and young oaks, which are common across the national park - a single cut is enough to leave them struggling.
Olivia said: "That open wound is an easy entry point for fungi, bacteria and sometimes insects.
"Once inside, decay can spread into the wood, reducing the tree's strength and making it more vulnerable to storms or other stresses.
"On top of that, the injury forces the tree to redirect energy away from growth and protection.
"Over time, this stress can make it less resilient to drought, disease and other environmental pressures."
Rangers in the Lake District recently uncovered a cluster of carved trees, which they said tends to happen in "quiet, secluded areas".
Olivia added: "What seems like a small act can have big consequences for the health of the tree and the wildlife that depends on it.
"Carvings aren't just surface scratches, they cause lasting harm. Each cut can weaken the tree, shorten its life, and reduce the benefits it gives to wildlife and people.
"What might feel like leaving a memory actually leaves a scar that damages a living tree and disrupts the ecosystem around it."
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