As we face one of the worst droughts in modern history, trees can help us fight the challenges of heat, dryness, dust and mental fatigue. Street trees offer immense benefits and we need to do as much as we can to care for them! With trees, bigger is better as many of the positive attributes they offer exponentially increase with the tree’s size.
Residents living under and around big urban trees benefit from: temperature reduction, moisture, filtration of dust and soot, slowing of dry desert winds, savings in energy costs, increases in property value, and many benefits for mental health and well being. To build an air conditioning, air purifying, humidifying tower that would perform just a handful of the services that a tree this size does, would cost $54,000 and several thousand a year in energy usage. And such a tower would not be home to the many creatures that live among the branches of these friendly giants.
To help trees we can make sure they have proper care so their roots are less inclined to go breaking up concrete and their branches are less likely to fall. When their roots do intrude, instead of cutting them down we could consider working with and around them. Raised wooden walkways are one way we could build side walks over and around the roots, saving the tree instead of cutting down a priceless resident and valuable public service.
CITATIONS & STUDIES:
Halifax Street Trees
I-Tree Landscapes
Tree City USA