Fall is the time to take stock of, and protect, your trees in Denver

(DENVER POST) — Autumn foliage may be a sign of summer’s end, but Denver Parks & Recreation is using the explosion of color as a way to motivate people to care for the long-term health of their trees — especially their ash trees.

Denver’s ash trees provide a colorful contrast to the subdued hues of the surrounding species, with white ash leaves turning a reddish-purple in the fall. Denver’s soil pH does not typically support trees with leaves that turn that color, which is why certain developers and city planners chose to plant large numbers of soil-tolerant ash in areas like Lowry, City Park and Wallace Park. And now those trees are being threatened by emerald ash borer.