What Does It Mean When A Tree Is Marked With Orange Paint?

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? We may never know the answer to that existential question, but what we do know is this: if the tree was marked with orange paint, then there's a problem. While hiking in the woods, you have likely seen trees marked with paint and wondered about its significance. The U.S. Forest Service — or a local agency dedicated to forest conservation — uses painted symbols to communicate its plans for the area. And once you know that each color or marking carries significance, it's hard not to feel like the forest is one big message to be decoded.

While state forest agencies may use a different color system than the federal forest service, an orange-marked tree on federal property signifies that a tree should be left alone. Orange paint typically indicates the boundary of an area that will be up for bidding in a timber sale, but it also could be communicating that a tree is a cultural resource or should be protected for wildlife purposes. The U.S. Forest Service Timber Cruising Handbook for the southern region even specifies that these boundary trees need to be marked with three horizontal slashes at eye level and again near the ground. 

Just as state- and national-level markings may differ, city-level codes also may vary. There are a number of reasons for cutting a tree, whether completely or just pruning — and the paint color and marking on the trunk may tell you exactly what the purpose is. For example, the City of Midland in Michigan uses an orange X or circle with a line through it to communicate to city workers that the tree should be cut down. A tree with a blue dot indicates pruning, and a green X means that the tree is slated to be removed because of an infection with emerald ash borer, an invasive pest that is threatening the existence of ash trees. 

In addition to using orange paint, the U.S. Forest Service sometimes uses pink to denote that a tree should be left alone. The entity also uses blue or yellow when a tree needs to be removed. A slash of black paint tells crews to ignore previously painted colors on that tree, and red indicates property lines. 

Although it's worrisome to see paint on trees, crews use a type of paint that is not harmful to trees and will fade within a few years. And compared with tying plastic flags around tree trunks — which often get ripped or removed by animals and people — paint is cost-effective and not easily removable.