Landscape design/architect help for residential drought-tolerant landscaping

Greetings,

What is causing these 'holes' in our Pine tree?

I noticed some dying off of parts of a large pine tree, and while trimming the dead branches, noticed patterns of holes. They are somewhat uniform in nature and horizontal across the trunk. Is this some type of beetle? Or perhaps a woodpecker? Any suggestions to preserve the tree or is it too late?

Bush or tree

Best bush or tree to form natural controllable fence. Non irrigated drought plains land Lincoln county

Ground cover

Please advise drought, sun, cold tolerant, non-flowering (non bee attracting), animal friendly ground cover.

Horse Fencing

We are on a 4 acre property and have horses. We need to replace the fence between us an our neighbors who also have horses. They want to use 8’ posts, sunk 3 feet in the ground every 12 feet. They want to use a 48” vmesh wire. I’m worried that the fence will be too short. Should I use a smooth vinyl panel at the top to visually reinforce and extend the height to 5’ , or a smooth wire, or a hot wire? Also, should all of the posts be set in concrete? Is the 12 foot spacing ok, or should it be 10? We have some pushy horses on both side of the fence. Thank you!

Backpacking with mountain lions?

So, I am about to begin to embark on many backpacking/camping journeys in the Colorado back country, including my two four legged babies hiking along. My main concern is trekking through mountain lion territory, with my dogs hooked to a short lead attached to me, are they/we safe from a mountain lion attack?

crabapple apple scab

i have young trees five years at least lost leaves last year really early like juneish. what can i do to help them this year since they are beautiful barrier from a lg apartment building next door/

clay soil

heavy clay soil

how do I make it produce healthy vegetables?

clay soil

I have heavy clay soil in Grand Junction, Co. What additive do I use for my vegetable garden.

I am new to Pueblo

I bought a house hee in Pueblo in 2017. Through the years in America and abroad I have seen may trees. But I have never seen these trees that overtake my yard during the summer. I have dug them up, cut them down and pulled them while young but they keep coming back. I have pulled root sections that are 10 to 20 feet long. What is the best, Safest and effective way to rid my yard of this tree? I asked some neighbors what it is called and they refer to it as a Junk Tree.

There seems to be one main tree. it was approximatly25 feet in height. The bark is very smooth and light in color. There are no or very hard to see growth rigs. Where new shoots form and grow, there is a large Bulbous section of the root were new saplings grow. The leaves are long with a spearshape to them.

III am not a big fan of poisons in my yard as I grow many edible plants and flowers as well as what some folks call weeds that I use in my diet along with a vefetable garden and my pets who roam the yard.