Conifer Trees (live in, move, yard)

[Beenhere4ever]

I had an interesting conversation with an environmentalist tonight about trees. I said if I had a choice to plant a tree in my yard, I'd go for a regional evergreen. Maybe too many reasons to mention. But one particular thing stands out. Many of the most popular species of deciduous trees have been afflicted by one pest or another, such as the Dutch elm beetle, the emerald borer in ash trees, the sap beetle that spreads oak wilt. I've not heard much beyond gypsy moths affecting evergreens, but I don't live where evergreens are numerous. I decided to raise the question to people who live in the evergreen state. If people anywhere know about arboreal epidemics, it would be Washingtonians.

[Andy]

Regional conifers get nailed too: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/us...ires.html?_r=0

In my neck of the woods you'll occasionally see a fungus that has wiped out a cluster of the predominant native tree around here, the douglas-fir.

All of my deciduous trees have done great, including a non-native sugar maple I brought back from the Catskills of NY. All of my conifers have done great too. Well, except the ones that met Mr. Chainsaw. Trees can be weeds up here. maple, alder (near wet areas), doug-fir, and cedar galore. I move the cedars to the shade and chop the rest.

[Hemlock140]

Depends where you are. We have very little problems with any kind of tree. Dutch Elm Disease can be a problem but there are not that many elms. There are some diseases such as blister rust and invasions of western spruce budworm and bark beetles in the forests, but in populated areas those are all rare. I would say that there are more problems with the
conifers than deciduous, but that may be due to there being so many more of them.

[Count David]

As Andy mentioned, the threat of bark beetles looms.

If you want to see the kind of devastation they bring, go to Colorado, they make the once grand forests look like a stand of twigs.

[Beenhere4ever]

Did some supplemental research. Apparently drought stress is involved in bark beetle infestations. We all see portrayals of the water crisis in 60 percent of American land. Everyone concentrates on wild fires. But that is really just the spectacular tip of an iceberg of natural effects. Forests, too, not just cornfields, have to cope with lack of water. I'd like to know of what the 40 percent that escaped severe drought saw happening to conifers.