By now, most of us have heard that the trees in Albuquerque are in some amount of trouble. We are losing our urban forest canopy at an alarmingly high rate. In large part that is due to the combination of urban site conditions in a SW desert city, and drought/heat stress. We also see problems from improper planting, insufficient watering, and poor species choices. Being a tree in Albuquerque is difficult, and though trees are remarkably tough, they still need our understanding, care, and attention.