Hi Jane,  i will need to see some additional photos to further assist.  Please send one showing the base of the trunk and planting area, also need to seethe entire tree canopy from a distance and then a close-up individual leaves that do not appear healthy to you?  Based on what I am seeing I may need to have you bring in a branch sample to our plant clinic so we can look at a leaf under the microscope.  The tree in image 4219 is not a birch it is an ash, thats why the leaf and bark look different. 

Hello Amy Jo,

Hi Jane,  Thanks for the additional photos, it would be helpful to have a close-up of trunk, I think I am seeing tunneling under the bark, but too far away for me to confirm if so that would be an insect pest of birch called bronze birch borer. Send me some photos of the trunk and then we will go from there for mangement. You can also look for any "D" shaped exit holes in the trunk:  https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Documents/forestbenefits/BronzeBirchBorer.pdf 

Thanks,  

Hi Jane,  There looks to be permanent damage to the cambium which can cause plant dieback,but this damage looks older. It could just be that the damage to the trunk caused the above dieback but I am still trying to rule out Bronze Birch Borer, for this,   I would like a photo of the middle section of the trunk to see if I see evidence of tunneling under the bark, the one photo seemed like maybe it had it but it was too far away. Thanks 

Hi Jane,

Is this part of the trunk look like it could be bubbling (separating) underneath the white bark?  See the attached photo showing larval galleries under the bark, note how the bark is "bubbling"

Hi Amy Jo,

Hi Jane, Feel free to call me at the number below.  Thanks