bet the bad side... is the north, or non sun side....ken

White spruce, Picea glauca. I agree with Tom's diagnosis of Cytospora canker.

Dax

Ken, you are right the damaged side is facing north.

Os there any hope for cytospora canker? He's thinking about calling in a expert as these trees are providing a nice screen from his neighbors.

At least the side facing his house is the good side.

Please read up on it. There are numerous offerings on the web. There are treatments, and if caught early, they can extend the useful life of the plant. But in the end, this pathogen usually renders the plant so ugly that you will want it gone. So get going! Read, then do the stuff recommended-the removal (and preferably burning) of the infected branches, the clean-up of fallen cones and branches, all of which can serve as inoculum, etc.

I'm wondering if the second and third from last are blue spruce. Those are prone to disease in many parts of the country. The first couple look more like white spruce, and look much better.

'Good luck with photo 4'. Photos 1-3 look like PIcea glauca, at least to me.

Dax