Sometimes you hear people say, "You can't see the forest for the trees." But in many towns and cities the real problem is that you can hardly see the trees at all. The reason is simple: There aren't enough of them.
As regular readers of this column know by now, I'm a strong believer in the benefits of trees, and those benefits apply just as much in towns and cities as is rural landscapes. Luckily, I'm not alone! There is a program at work in many parts of America that is generally known as "Urban Forestry". This might sound like a contradiction in terms if we think of forests as being vast areas in remote and inaccessible parts of the world. However, urban forestry can play a very important part in all our lives.
So what IS urban forestry? The Center for Urban Forest Research at the University of California/Davis, defines the urban forest as "the aggregate of all vegetation and green spaces within communities that provide benefits vital to enriching the quality of life." They say that properly cared for and well-managed urban forests can provide benefits that far exceed their management costs. Urban forests can also bring communities of people together and form connections between humans and the urban flora and fauna.
Let's take a look at some of the benefits of planting trees in urban areas.
One major benefit is the improvement in air quality. Trees alleviate air pollution directly, by absorbing and neutralizing pollutants, and indirectly, by cooling communities, according to research provided by the city of Jonesboro, NC. You can find the full report at their website http://www.ci.greensboro.nc.us/forestry/benefitsoftrees.htm or you can find a direct link from my website, www.landsteward.org when you look for "The Plant Man" archive and locate this column.
The Jonesboro research notes that this indirect effect besides saving energy, slows the accumulation of smog, which forms faster in higher temperatures. Particulate pollutants - dust, ash, pollen, and smoke - are trapped and filtered by the leaves, stems and twigs of trees, then are washed to the ground by rainfall. Gaseous pollutants - such as carbon dioxide, one of the major culprits in global warming, or the greenhouse effect - are absorbed though the pores in a leaf's surface; the tree replenishes the air with oxygen, while using the carbon dioxide to make food.
Tree planting is also a very cost-effective way to conserve energy resources in both winter and summer. When you plant trees properly you create windbreaks and that can reduce heating costs by as much as 50 percent during winter months. If you plant shade trees to the south and west sides of your home you can reduce air conditioning costs up to 30 percent, according to research.
If you feel hotter when you're in a city, it's not your imagination. In the summer, the air in urban areas can be 6-8°F hotter than its surrounding areas. Planting trees and bushes can help reduce urban temperatures as well as make cities greener in what are known as "urban heat islands".
There is a real financial benefit to planting trees in almost any town or city regardless of size. A study of urban forests in Modesto, CA shows that for each $1 invested in urban forest management, $1.89 in benefits is returned to residents. City trees actually remove 154 tons of air pollutants, increase property values by over $1.5 million, and provide shade that saves over $1 million. This information convinced city officials to increase the tree budget and an electric utility company to invest $20,000 in developing the Modesto Tree Foundation. You can find more information at the UC/Davis website: http://wcufre.ucdavis.edu/
If you believe your community could benefit from a commitment to plant more trees, I encourage you to get involved by reminding your town or city's administrators of the real financial rewards of a local urban forestry program. You can find a wealth of convincing data at the TreeLink website http://www.treelink.org/linx/?navSubCatRef=56 and, as always, you can link directly from this column at my website.
For suggestions about specific trees that would be suitable for urban forestry in your location, you're welcome to contact me via e-mail
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org or mail to: Steve Jones, "The Plant Man", P.O. Box 686, McMinnville, TN 37111. For resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
QUESTION: "I wish to grow a catalpa tree from a seed/bean. What is the best way to produce a healthy sprout? I have collected several pods that are well formed, full of seeds." - Stewart Jackson
ANSWER: You can plant this fall and cover to more than two times the width of the seed. Put in an area that you will be able to go back to in the spring when they germinate.
