Why Are Some Trees Painted White?

More Reasons for Paint on Trees

You might have noticed trees around your home with different paint jobs. While white protects bark, other colors and patterns indicate instructions for people. For example, some trees bear marks to show that they are diseased, must be chopped down, or require pruning.

“Basically, it marks the tree in an inconspicuous way,” says Ken Fisher, assistant forester for the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department. “A lot of people don’t even notice it, but it alerts our contractor that this is the tree we’re talking about. We’ve been using paint dots for 25 years or so now, so some trees have several paint dots on them.” However, cities keep individual codes, so a red or purple dot might mean different things depending on the area.

If you enjoy forests and nature trails, you may have come across another set of paint jobs. They can indicate which trees are hazardous or safe. They may also mark private properties hiking trails, or indicate details about the environment. “In some places, trees with nests of rare or endangered species are marked,” says Evans. “That is the case with the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker in the Southern United States. Their tree nests are generally marked with a white paint ring.”

But remember to check the guidelines of a specific area before making any assumptions. “Basically, there aren’t any hard and fast standardizations for the use of marking paint in forestry,” Evans says. “That can lead to confusion when trying to generalize the meaning of different symbols and colors.” However, some are more universal. For example, an X often means the tree should be cut, and numbers show a tally before a harvest. In many states, purple paint marks private property.