The trees living in our urban wildlife habitats deserve our attention at this time of year. Although we are currently in a La Niña weather pattern, that does not mean that we are safe from freezes. https://www.statesman.com/weather/article/la-nina-winter-forecast-2025-austin-weather-21192229.php We need to protect the trees that shelter us from our oppressive summers by providing winter tree care. That means proper mulching, watering (when necessary) and pruning by a certified arborist. https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist
Trees need mulch a lot farther out from the trunk than you might expect, but in the right way–as opposed to tree-killing “mulch volcanoes.” TreeFolks offers the following guidance: “The correct way to mulch a tree is to apply a 2-to-4 inch organic (meaning decomposable, not necessarily pesticide free) layer of mulch starting 2 inches away from the trunk and not stopping until you reach the canopy’s edge or drip-line. Technically, you should mulch the entire Critical Root Zone (CRZ), but mulching under the dripline works well if you’d rather not spread that much mulch. The CRZ extends 1 foot out from the trunk for every inch of trunk diameter at breast height.” https://www.treefolks.org/learn-about-trees/tree-care-resources/
Also, one should not assume that the lower temperatures mean that our trees do not need supplemental watering. We are finishing out an extremely dry fall. https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2025-10-21/austin-tx-weather-temperature-records-heat-rain-dry-drought Trees that are dehydrated have cumulative stress that worsens their ability to withstand severe freeze events. Finally, this is an optimal time to hire a certified arborist for any tree work now that the leaves have fallen and most wildlife is not having babies. Oak trees can be carefully pruned through January to avoid Oak Wilt. https://www.austintexas.gov/page/oak-wilt The Texas Forest Service explains that: “Each pruning cut is a wound, therefore, if done incorrectly, pruning can harm trees and even shorten their lives. However, when done right, pruning helps trees stay healthy, maintain good structure, and enhance the value of your landscape.” https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/trees/tree-care/pruning/
North Loop Neighborhood Association 