Cindy,
I have a 30 yr. old maple tree that over a two year period seems to have died. the first year I noticed the leaves did not completly form. The second year the same, but the second yr. the leaves died and the tree was bare all summer.Things that I noticed,heavy secadas(bugs that came out of ground made loud noise)on that tree,Hornets nest the year prior to the two yrs. I,m speaking of, and woodpecker holes(3/8 dia.)all around the trunk.
My concern is the woodpecker because I've noticed he's moved to another tree.

In suburban yards, parks and on boulevards all over Kentuckiana this is a site that is becoming all the more common. We are seeing lots of lots of maple trees that are dying in the landscape. The maples most affected are Norway, sugar, and red maples.

There really doesn’t seem to be a specific cause for all these maples dying, but rather it is a combination of factors contributing to the decline.

Weather conditions over the last few years have been a major factor in weakening the trees. Maples are one of the first trees to leaf out in the spring. Mild winter temperatures that have caused the maples to leaf out even earlier, late frosts, extraordinarily wet or dry spring conditions and droughty summers have contributed to and compounded health problems in trees.

Girdling roots are a common problem with maples. If young maples are started out in the nursery in pots and are allowed to become potbound, the roots will eventually encircle each other and cause a strangling effect. This is also common when young trees are planted out in fields of very heavy clay.

Verticillium wilt is a disease caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. The fungus will enter the tree through cuts or damage to the root system. It will eventually cause the circulatory system of the tree to clog up. Trees affected by Verticillium Wilt will tend to show damage a branch or two at a time.

It is said that humans do more damage to trees than any other vectors combined. Damage to tree bark and trunks caused by weedeaters or lawn mowers will start a steady decline in trees.

Trees that are under stress will have a difficult time surviving heat and drought. To keep your trees as stress free as possible, maintain adequate water and keep them mulched.