diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 42d53c59..4390adcf 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 local log = require("nvim-tree.log")
-local appearance = require("nvim-tree.appearance")
 local view = require("nvim-tree.view")
 local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
 local actions = require("nvim-tree.actions")
@@ -151,19 +150,6 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
     vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd(name, vim.tbl_extend("force", default_opts, custom_opts))
   end
 
-  -- reset and draw (highlights) when colorscheme is changed
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("ColorScheme", {
-    callback = function()
-      appearance.setup()
-      view.reset_winhl()
-
-      local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-      if explorer then
-        explorer.renderer:draw()
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
   -- prevent new opened file from opening in the same window as nvim-tree
   create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufWipeout", {
     pattern = "NvimTree_*",
@@ -179,79 +165,9 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
     end,
   })
 
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufWritePost", {
-    callback = function()
-      if opts.auto_reload_on_write and not opts.filesystem_watchers.enable then
-        local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-        if explorer then
-          explorer:reload_explorer()
-        end
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufReadPost", {
-    callback = function(data)
-      -- update opened file buffers
-      local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-      if not explorer then
-        return
-      end
-      if
-        (explorer.filters.config.filter_no_buffer or explorer.opts.highlight_opened_files ~= "none") and vim.bo[data.buf].buftype == ""
-      then
-        utils.debounce("Buf:filter_buffer", opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
-          explorer:reload_explorer()
-        end)
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufUnload", {
-    callback = function(data)
-      -- update opened file buffers
-      local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-      if not explorer then
-        return
-      end
-      if
-        (explorer.filters.config.filter_no_buffer or explorer.opts.highlight_opened_files ~= "none") and vim.bo[data.buf].buftype == ""
-      then
-        utils.debounce("Buf:filter_buffer", opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
-          explorer:reload_explorer()
-        end)
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("User", {
-    pattern = { "FugitiveChanged", "NeogitStatusRefreshed" },
-    callback = function()
-      if not opts.filesystem_watchers.enable and opts.git.enable then
-        local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-        if explorer then
-          explorer:reload_git()
-        end
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
   if opts.tab.sync.open then
     create_nvim_tree_autocmd("TabEnter", { callback = vim.schedule_wrap(M.tab_enter) })
   end
-  if opts.hijack_cursor then
-    create_nvim_tree_autocmd("CursorMoved", {
-      pattern = "NvimTree_*",
-      callback = function()
-        if utils.is_nvim_tree_buf(0) then
-          local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-          if explorer then
-            explorer:place_cursor_on_node()
-          end
-        end
-      end,
-    })
-  end
   if opts.sync_root_with_cwd then
     create_nvim_tree_autocmd("DirChanged", {
       callback = function()
@@ -277,20 +193,6 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
     create_nvim_tree_autocmd({ "BufEnter", "BufNewFile" }, { callback = M.open_on_directory })
   end
 
-  create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufEnter", {
-    pattern = "NvimTree_*",
-    callback = function()
-      if utils.is_nvim_tree_buf(0) then
-        if vim.fn.getcwd() ~= core.get_cwd() or (opts.reload_on_bufenter and not opts.filesystem_watchers.enable) then
-          local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-          if explorer then
-            explorer:reload_explorer()
-          end
-        end
-      end
-    end,
-  })
-
   if opts.view.centralize_selection then
     create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufEnter", {
       pattern = "NvimTree_*",
@@ -330,20 +232,6 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
       end,
     })
   end
-
-  if opts.modified.enable then
-    create_nvim_tree_autocmd({ "BufModifiedSet", "BufWritePost" }, {
-      callback = function()
-        utils.debounce("Buf:modified", opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
-          require("nvim-tree.buffers").reload_modified()
-          local explorer = core.get_explorer()
-          if explorer then
-            explorer:reload_explorer()
-          end
-        end)
-      end,
-    })
-  end
 end
 
 local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
@@ -839,6 +727,7 @@ function M.setup(conf)
   require("nvim-tree.appearance").setup()
   require("nvim-tree.diagnostics").setup(opts)
   require("nvim-tree.explorer"):setup(opts)
+  require("nvim-tree.explorer.watch").setup(opts)
   require("nvim-tree.git").setup(opts)
   require("nvim-tree.git.utils").setup(opts)
   require("nvim-tree.view").setup(opts)
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
index 54fbb512..02c0152d 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local appearance = require("nvim-tree.appearance")
+local buffers = require("nvim-tree.buffers")
 local core = require("nvim-tree.core")
 local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
 local log = require("nvim-tree.log")
@@ -25,7 +27,9 @@ local FILTER_REASON = require("nvim-tree.enum").FILTER_REASON
 local config
 
 ---@class (exact) Explorer: RootNode
+---@field uid_explorer number vim.uv.hrtime() at construction time
 ---@field opts table user options
+---@field augroup_id integer
 ---@field renderer Renderer
 ---@field filters Filters
 ---@field live_filter LiveFilter
@@ -59,6 +63,9 @@ function Explorer:create(path)
 
   o.explorer = o
 
+  o.uid_explorer = vim.uv.hrtime()
+  o.augroup_id = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("NvimTree_Explorer_" .. o.uid_explorer, {})
+
   o.open = true
   o.opts = config
 
@@ -69,11 +76,111 @@ function Explorer:create(path)
   o.marks = Marks:new(config, o)
   o.clipboard = Clipboard:new(config, o)
 
+  o:create_autocmds()
+
   o:_load(o)
 
   return o
 end
 
+function Explorer:destroy()
+  log.line("dev", "Explorer:destroy")
+
+  vim.api.nvim_del_augroup_by_id(self.augroup_id)
+
+  RootNode.destroy(self)
+end
+
+function Explorer:create_autocmds()
+  -- reset and draw (highlights) when colorscheme is changed
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("ColorScheme", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    callback = function()
+      appearance.setup()
+      view.reset_winhl()
+      self:draw()
+    end,
+  })
+
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufWritePost", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    callback = function()
+      if self.opts.auto_reload_on_write and not self.opts.filesystem_watchers.enable then
+        self:reload_explorer()
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufReadPost", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    callback = function(data)
+      if (self.filters.config.filter_no_buffer or self.opts.highlight_opened_files ~= "none") and vim.bo[data.buf].buftype == "" then
+        utils.debounce("Buf:filter_buffer_" .. self.uid_explorer, self.opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
+          self:reload_explorer()
+        end)
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+
+  -- update opened file buffers
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufUnload", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    callback = function(data)
+      if (self.filters.config.filter_no_buffer or self.opts.highlight_opened_files ~= "none") and vim.bo[data.buf].buftype == "" then
+        utils.debounce("Buf:filter_buffer_" .. self.uid_explorer, self.opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
+          self:reload_explorer()
+        end)
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufEnter", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    pattern = "NvimTree_*",
+    callback = function()
+      if utils.is_nvim_tree_buf(0) then
+        if vim.fn.getcwd() ~= core.get_cwd() or (self.opts.reload_on_bufenter and not self.opts.filesystem_watchers.enable) then
+          self:reload_explorer()
+        end
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("User", {
+    group = self.augroup_id,
+    pattern = { "FugitiveChanged", "NeogitStatusRefreshed" },
+    callback = function()
+      if not self.opts.filesystem_watchers.enable and self.opts.git.enable then
+        self:reload_git()
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+
+  if self.opts.hijack_cursor then
+    vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("CursorMoved", {
+      group = self.augroup_id,
+      pattern = "NvimTree_*",
+      callback = function()
+        if utils.is_nvim_tree_buf(0) then
+          self:place_cursor_on_node()
+        end
+      end,
+    })
+  end
+
+  if self.opts.modified.enable then
+    vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({ "BufModifiedSet", "BufWritePost" }, {
+      group = self.augroup_id,
+      callback = function()
+        utils.debounce("Buf:modified_" .. self.uid_explorer, self.opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
+          buffers.reload_modified()
+          self:reload_explorer()
+        end)
+      end,
+    })
+  end
+end
+
 ---@param node DirectoryNode
 function Explorer:expand(node)
   self:_load(node)
@@ -430,7 +537,6 @@ end
 
 function Explorer:setup(opts)
   config = opts
-  require("nvim-tree.explorer.watch").setup(opts)
 end
 
 return Explorer
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua
index f0543825..0e6fd338 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ function DirectoryLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name
   return o
 end
 
+function DirectoryLinkNode:destroy()
+  DirectoryNode.destroy(self)
+end
+
 -----Update the directory GitStatus of link target and the file status of the link itself
 -----@param parent_ignored boolean
 -----@param status table|nil
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua
index 2bdd79f1..2d2571f0 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ function FileLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name, fs_
   return o
 end
 
+function FileLinkNode:destroy()
+  FileNode.destroy(self)
+end
+
 -----Update the GitStatus of the target otherwise the link itself
 -----@param parent_ignored boolean
 -----@param status table|nil
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
index 0f01347c..398607c6 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ function FileNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, fs_stat)
   return o
 end
 
+function FileNode:destroy()
+  Node.destroy(self)
+end
+
 ---Update the GitStatus of the file
 ---@param parent_ignored boolean
 ---@param status table|nil
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/root.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/root.lua
index 1b236775..2fd037ce 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/root.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/root.lua
@@ -23,4 +23,8 @@ function RootNode:is_dotfile()
   return false
 end
 
+function RootNode:destroy()
+  DirectoryNode.destroy(self)
+end
+
 return RootNode