It is also important to care for trees that are exposed to drought conditions, as they become more vulnerable to pathogens, insects, and diseases.

The Oregon Department of Forestry suggests the following 10 tips to mitigate drought stress on trees:

1. Select native and local drought-tolerant species that are appropriate for your site and soil conditions.
2. Thin stands during normal years, not within a drought if possible, as thinning can cause a short-term increase in water stress. Remove damaged, stressed or overly mature trees.
3. Control vegetation (especially grasses) that compete for soil moisture.
4. Remove or destroy freshly dead or dying trees and slash or blowdown created in the previous year to prevent insect infestations and outbreaks.
5. Avoid damaging and compacting soil around tree root zones from vehicles, grazing animals, etc. – especially during the wet season.
6. Irrigate landscape trees during dry weather. Apply water slowly over many hours so it penetrates to tree roots, or use drip irrigation.
7. Apply mulch to landscape trees to retain soil moisture.
8. Do not alter drainage patterns near established trees.
9. Do not fertilize during droughts. Fertilizer stimulates foliage production and can increase water requirements.
10. It may be less effective to use systemic pesticides, which are absorbed into a plant’s tissues, on drought-stressed trees because these pesticides rely on water translocation within the tree.