1) Trees are hierarchical data structures that store data in nodes connected by edges. They are useful for representing hierarchical relationships. 2) Binary search trees allow quick search, insertion, and deletion of nodes due to the organizational property that the value of each node is greater than all nodes in its left subtree and less than all nodes in its right subtree. 3) Common tree traversal algorithms include preorder, inorder, and postorder traversals, which visit nodes in different orders depending on whether the left/right children or root is visited first.