Wounds commonly occur on the exposed parts of trunks and roots.
Although tree wounds are often caused by the forces of nature, people are also responsible for many root injuries, bark injuries and broken limbs. Unfortunately, some people enjoy carving designs and words into the bark of living trees. These carvings mar the tree's beauty and open its trunk to invasion by a variety of microorganisms. Trash fires or campfires built against the trunk of a tree cause injury and may kill the tree. Improperly treated wounds are often followed by decay.