What's the deal with (so many) straggler trees?

So, I know there are, and have always been straggler trees, but is it just me or are there A LOT more single trees than there used to be on Black Forest maps? It is to the point where it restricts where you build town centers, other large buildings, and even gates and walls. (The game doesn't even want you to place gates if you are within one (two?) peg of a straggler tree in front or behind the gate. I have played for 20 years, and I never remember having so much trouble as I've had in the last couple of months with trees restricting building sites. Has anyone else had this thought at all? Or is it just me? Was something changed in this regard in the last couple of months?