Monday, 31 August 2009 03:00

The Benefits of Trees

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Frequently we receive requests from nurseries and other people trying to quantify the value of trees in the landscape or to the environment.  Those of us in the industry know how hugely important trees are for the environment and the local economy.  But how do you quantify it - especially if you are talking to your local governmental authority that controls the budget for their urban forests or state legislatures trying to solve their budget crises?

The following websites crossed my desk in recent weeks and I thought they were well done and answers many of these questions .

So without boring you with my prose, just jump to the links below:

This is a nice tool which calculates the value of a tree.  It is easy to use.

 
Besides the calculation, it also gives nice descriptions of the areas that have been quantified.


Additional sites with clear explanations of the benefits and value of trees:

Benefits of Trees:
(Graphic courtesy of ISA)
 
 
 
The Arbor Day Foundation has a nice animation on how to plant deciduous trees to save energy:

 



Remember: "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.  The second best time is now."