The trees along your streets, on your property, and in your local parks make up an urban forest that deserves your attention. Many of our larger trees are suffering from neglect and many newly planted trees are not surviving their first few years. The fact is, unless we protect our trees, a majority of our majestic trees will disappear within twenty to thirty years. Newly planted trees will never reach the grandeur of our majestic trees today. With the stresses and strains of air pollution, soil compaction, construction injury, limited water and nutrient availability, and because many large growing trees are planted in confined spaces, trees need extra assistance to maintain the good health and vigor that we require of our urban trees. Mother Nature can also cause stress to trees with a summer drought or a devastating spring snowstorm. Much like a healthy human who is better able to resist disease, a healthy tree or shrub has a natural resistance to environmental stress, disease and insect pests. Typically however, an arborist is called after a tree is in a state of decline, and usually it is too late. Once a prominent tree is gone, the average lifespan of a replacement tree or of a newly planted tree growing curbside in a tree pit is only seven years!

What proactive treatments can a homeowner do to prevent decline?

Periodically inspecting trees for structural defects and insect pests and disease is essential to prevent failures that could lead to personal injury or property damage. Health inspections should be performed at least annually and after major storms, and even more frequently for trees under stress and in high use areas.

Pruning trees should be done judiciously and performed properly. Pruning should be focused on removing dead, dying, diseased, and broken branches. Improper pruning techniques are common stress factors of urban trees and can cause premature decline.

By raking our leaves for the past 100 years, we have interrupted the carbon and nutrient cycles that serve to keep trees green and growing. To correct this situation, periodic supplemental fertilization is important, particularly where trees compete with turf for water and soil nutrients.

Proper irrigation and mulching, particularly in times of drought, are essential to maintain a tree or shrub's good health and something the tree owner can do. It is very easy to overmulch, so be careful.