Deicing Salt: The Silent Killer of Urban Trees

Deicing salt—most commonly sodium chloride—is essential for winter safety in northern climates, but it can be devastating to urban trees. Each spring, roadside plants often show the effects through leaf discoloration, canopy loss, and decline, especially in dense communities where trees already face limited growing space. Because salt doesn’t break down or disappear, it accumulates in soil, damaging tree health and degrading the soil microbiome over time.

Using soil DNA sequencing, researchers found that salt-tolerant “salt-loving” bacteria dominated tree wells where trees repeatedly failed and required frequent replanting. However, a stormwater capture and release system that flushes or dilutes salt helped trees thrive for six years with no replacements, and those harmful microbes were absent. This presentation highlights practical strategies for reducing salt damage through smarter water management.

1 CEU/PDH approved by ISA, LACES, and CBLP.

Free webinar offered by Green Industry Webinar.