Trees News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

Tree dedication at Oakwood Cemetery party of effort to plant 250 trees in Raleigh

The Raleigh Rotary America 250 Oak City Tree Campaign invites residents to help plant over 250 oak trees across the city in celebration of America's 250th anniversary.

Chapel Hill homeowners accuse town of not following its tree protection rules

Chapel Hill homeowners claim the town isn't enforcing its tree protection ordinance, leading to trees falling on their properties and causing significant damage.

If a tree falls, who pays to clean it up?

When a neighbor's tree falls on your home or yard, are they responsible or are you?

WRAL 5 On Your Side

Multiple fallen trees around the Triangle after storm

Nearly 900 people lost power in Durham when a tree fell onto power lines on Friday morning. At Driftwood Manor apartments in Raleigh, an oak tree came down overnight and crushed a car in the parking lot.

Stinky, damaging Bradford pear trees have fallen out of favor

They're a tree you won't see in many nurseries anymore. The Bradford pear and its variations are all over the country, with ongoing efforts by environmental organizations to remove them.

Tar Heel Traveler: Tabor City Angel Oak Tree

People sometimes talk of miracles this time of year. Can a tree be considered a miracle? A guardian angel? It's an enormous angel oak outside a seafood restaurant in Columbus County. When the restaurant burned to the ground a few years ago, the tree was miraculously unharmed. The restaurant owners rebuilt, and today the angel oak stands as its symbolic protector.

North Carolina's state tree: Pine connects state history, ecology

Learn about the significance of the pine tree, the state tree of North Carolina. Discover why it's a vital part of the state's ecosystem.

Neighbors urge Raleigh leaders to protect and plant more trees

A group called the Oak Folk Collective is urging Raleigh to increase its tree plantings.

Raleigh activists call for increased tree plantings amid development

A group called the Oak Folk Collective is urging Raleigh to increase its tree plantings.

Matt Talhelm, WRAL reporter

Toppled trees block roads, damage cars in Wake County

Two residents said they were lucky they weren't in the road or in their cars when the trees fell.

Severe weather causes multiple downed trees on Wednesday

Some areas saw wind gusts up to 40 mph and some counties were under a tornado warning. The weather prompted a WRAL Weather Alert Day..

Carly Haynes, WRAL reporter

NC Forest Service and others help rid NC of the Bradford Pear stench

The NC Bradford Pear Bounty offers up to five free trees to replace your Bradford pears.

Tony Rice, NASA Ambassador

Residents prepare for strong storms, high winds on Tuesday

As storms make their way to North Carolina, residents around the Triangle are preparing their homes for the impending storms and strong winds.

Wet ground, high winds could bring down trees

If you are a property owner, the calm before the storm is the time to determine if your trees are a threat.

In wet and windy weather, here's how to tell if your trees are likely to tumble

If you are a property owner, the calm before the storm is the time to determine if your trees are a threat.

Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

Garner residents continue cleanup effort after EF-1 tornado damages more than 20 homes

Residents in a Garner neighborhood are recovering after an EF-1 tornado hit their street on Sunday causing extensive damage.

WRAL staff

The Triangle is losing trees... and getting hotter

As the Triangle's population grows, the area covered by heat-absorbing buildings and roads increases. According to a new study, Wake County has lost more than 11,000 acres of tree canopy over a decade, equivalent to more than 8,400 football fields.

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL climate change reporter

Development shrinks Raleigh's tree canopy

It's probably no surprise that rapid growth in the Triangle comes with a changing landscape. WRAL climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin explains just how many trees we've lost in a decade and how it translates to hotter temperatures.

Winds, rain can bring down Triangle's trademark trees

Both Duke Energy and ArborMax Tree Service say trees are a blessing to the central part of the state. However, during storms, those trees can fall or break, causing major damage and power outages.

Wind and rain from storms threaten trees of the Triangle

During storms, trees can fall or break, causing major damage and power outages.

Destinee Patterson, WRAL reporter

In Depth with Dan: What caused so many trees to fall in NC on Tuesday?

WRAL anchor/reporter Dan Haggerty goes in depth on why so many trees fell Tuesday in North Carolina.

What causes so many trees to fall in a storm?

Robert Bardon with NC State Extension's Forestry department said there are three main reasons central North Carolina had trees come down during Tuesday's storm: The root system, the main stem of the tree or the branches.

Why NC had so many downed trees after Tuesday's storms

WRAL News spoke with experts who explained why North Carolina had so many downed trees after Tuesday's storms.

Dan Haggerty, WRAL anchor/reporter and Matt Talhelm, WRAL reporter

Severe storms leave power outages, downed trees in Durham

Durham was one of the hardest hit areas by the storms, and that was before a crash shut down I-40 for hours. WRAL News had team coverage across the area to asses the damage.

New insect, invasive to NC, chews zigzag pattern into elm leaves

North Carolina has a new insect resident, one that poses a unique risk to elm trees.