Good to Know: Terrific Trees

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Just two mature trees produce enough oxygen each year to supply a family of four—and a tree absorbs one ton of carbon dioxide throughout its life. Backyard trees provide many environmental benefits, but most of us take them for granted. 

Trees let us know when they’re stressed or ailing. Eric Fowler, a certified master arborist with SavATree, says to watch for these symptoms:

■ unseasonable leaf or needle drop

■ dieback of branches and foliage in the upper crown

■ sap bleeding from the trunk

■ evidence of insect attack (small holes in the bark, sawdust at the base, insect remains)

A proactive regimen is the best approach to tree care.

Fowler offers these pointers:

■ Plant trees appropriate to your climate. Choose good nursery stock and follow recommended planting practices. (See "How To Plant a Tree" at www.AmericanForests.org.)