what town are you in?

I live in Cinnaminson, NJ but I've noticed problems in most of the towns in the area.

You need to at least post and compare symptoms to really know or even guess. I have trees right next to gas lines so unless there is a serious leak, I doubt that is it. We had a small leak by us and it didn't kill any nearby trees or even a bush directly next to it.

The tree deaths might or might not be related. Take a close look at the pattern of symptoms: Are they similar for different kinds of trees? How fast has the decline been for each tree? Are there visible signs of pests? Location's important, too: Are the problems clustered where there are know to be gas line leaks, or could it be something else like poor drainage near all the affected trees?

Your best bet would be to contact your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office. They might help you diagnose the problem based on pictures, branch samples, and observations you can supply.

I know it's been a while since I posted on this thread. The tree that died suddenly had small holes through out the trunk. Looked like some sort of boring insect got it. It also had a blackish trunk and well as a swollen trunk. I doubt the gas leak had anything to do with it. I've also have noticed that a lot of tree's around me are thinning, have a green lichen or moss growing on them, small and large hole in the trunk and the trunks are turning black.

I couldn't even begin to think of who to call about this either. I tried Rutgers and they were no help. I would love to find a person who knows about trees in the Cinnaminson, NJ area.

Moss and lichen won't hurt trees. I've had oaks die from Bacterial Scorch and maples die from Verticillium wilt. The best defense is planting a wide diversity of tree species and keeping trees vigorous through proper care.

Can Carpenter Ants kill a tree? I have one that the ants are boring like crazy and the botom of the tree is losing its bark.

You might want to find a certified arborist who should be able to diagnose and treat, if possible, whatever is ailing your trees.

The link is to NJ Chapter of International Society of Arborists and there's a section where you can search for ones nearest to you.

You might want to contact a few, check out their insurance and references and then decide if/which one you'd like to hire.

It's probably not inexpensive but having some hack tree trimmer touch your trees could be more expensive in the long run and not solve the underlying problem(s) anyway.

Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: NJ Chapter - Certified Arborists

Asian Longhorned Beetle is a threat in NJ but I haven't heard of any infestations as far south as your town. Do a google search and you'll find plenty of sites with explanations of symptoms, host trees, what to do, etc.