The dead among us: several species of trees are dying all over WV

Oct. 19—BLUEFIELD — Several species of trees in West Virginia have been dying this year, and according to Ed Legge, an arborist at Davey Tree Expert Company, it has something to do with the weather West Virginia has experienced this year.

"I haven't noticed a specific variety of tree dying off, but several varieties have been effected because the excessive rainfall we've had this year has caused some trees to get diseased and start dying off," said Legge.

He also said that the trees dying off in the more urban areas can be traced back to construction and pouring concrete for sidewalks and things of that nature.

Legge said it's important to pay attention to your trees to make sure they are not showing signs of being hazardous, which he defined as a defect that can't be prepared for and has a target like a road or house, when they die.

This can be hard because sometimes it's hard to tell if the tree is dead or dying.

"The key thing is to just be aware of the state of your trees because one can die and not be noticed until it becomes hazardous," he said. "If they start showing signs of dying like cracks in the trunk, mushrooms growing near the roots, or multiple branches with no buds, then you should contact an arborist to come out to take a closer look."

Legge added, "A tree that is alive and has green leaves can still be hazardous if it has defects like cracks in the trunk from being struck by lighting or something like that."

Hazardous trees always have to come down, but not all dead trees do.

"If you suspect that something is wrong with your tree, you should contact an arborist to come out to give it a very thorough check-up because while hazardous dead trees have to come down, they do not all have to," said Legge. "Some dying trees can be saved. It's just a matter of getting a professional to assess it properly."

With winter coming and leaves falling off the trees, it may be a little harder to tell if your tree is dead or if it is just going through the cycle of the seasons, so Legge said that it is really important to keep an eye on them when the cold comes.

"I don't think the trees will die specifically from the winter itself, but if trees are already dead, the cold weather along with the ice freezing over them could make them hazardous," he said.

Legge added, "In the end, it's better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you inspect your trees thoroughly before it starts to get really cold and snow comes."

Legge said the best way to be sure about your trees is just to have an arborist come inspect them, and usually the inspections are free.

For more information about signs to look for in dying and dead trees, visit the Davey Tree Expert Company website.

— Contact Kassidy Brown at kbrown@bdtonline.com.