New England Trees Struggle to Survive in Drought Conditions

With drought conditions prominent around parts of New England, dead trees are becoming an increasingly common sight. Arborists say when a tree dies; it's just a matter of time before it topples, causing damage and even danger.

"There's a lot of dead trees all over the New England area," said certified arborist, Steve Gold. "The longer a dead tree stays standing, the worse it gets.

Gold says when a once vibrant tree withers and wilts, it is in danger of toppling over.

"A lot of dead trees have been falling that typically would've been left standing," said Gold. "It's a result of the lack of rain we've had no snow fall last winter per so there's no snow pack."

Water Ban Map August 1
MassDEP

And as trees topple down, many take down power lines, cause damage to homes and could even injure human lives.

"A limb could snap off from 20 feet up and it would feel like you got hit in the head with a baseball bat when it hit your head,"

In February, a 6-year-old Canton girl died when a tree limb snapped and fell on her. In April a Whitman couple was killed when a tree fell on their car.

"Typically 30-40 mile an hour winds which we've seen whenever we've had a micro burst is enough to take a tree down," said Gold.

Arborists say you should spot the signs of a rotted tree and call town officials to ask if they'll take it away.

"If you look up into the canopy, you see the foliage is completely dead, there's already some snapped branches down below," said Gold. "This tree is ready to be removed."

In addition to drought conditions, many communities are also dealing with water restrictions so it's becoming harder to keep trees watered. Click here for a list of restrictions from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

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