ORCHARD, PARK, N.Y. — Snow comes with the territory here in Western New York. We learn to salt the roads, dig out and go on with our lives. That’s not an option for trees though, and all that salt could put them in harm's way.

"Extensive use can actually cause damage to woody trees and shrubs by affecting plant nutrients as well as water absorption," said Lukas Suzano, assistant district manager for Davey Tree Buffalo.

Suzano sees his fair share of salt-damaged trees, from deciduous ones that shed their leaves to evergreens.

"Here we have an Austrian pine," said Suzano pointing at a tree. "Indications of salt damage on pines are a little bit more evident."

Suzano knows the signs.

"In this tree here, you'll notice that there's some browning of needles," he explained, pointing out some of the problem areas.

Premature needle drop is also something to look out for. Damage depends on the tree and how close it is to the source of salt.

You might look out your window at your own trees and think, 'hey, this doesn’t look too bad,' but extensive damage doesn’t happen overnight.

"It is one of those stress factors that will be there and essentially set the tree off that growing season either on a positive note or a negative one," Suzano said.

So what can you do?

Before it snows, you can put down gypsum or calcium sulfate around the tree’s base. At this point, it is possible that you won’t be seeing the base of the tree for months, so now you’re in damage control mode.

"Once the snow clears, good deep watering or irrigation is going to be the best way to leech that sodium and chloride away from the base of the tree and away from the roots," said Suzano.

Properly prune trees and cut away dead parts, use fertilizer and if you need more help, call your local arborist because you probably don’t want to give these trees the cold shoulder.

"Trees are a monumental fixture on our landscapes, and they're quite an investment," said Suzano. "So the one thing we want to do is ensure that we're protecting and preserving our investments."

For trees that grow back in the spring, you won't see signs of damage yet.

Keep an eye out for the late opening of buds, off-colored or undersized leaves and dead branches.

Those could be signs of damage, as could early fall coloring or leaf drop down the line.