The Value of Trees

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This presentation (including slide notes) was created by Dr. Laurie Fox for presentation to her neighborhood civic league. The goals are to make people think twice about cutting down a tree and to encourage planting of new trees in the neighborhood.

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Dr. Fox has given her permission for Extension Master Gardeners to use/edit/modify this presentation for use in their programs. Please remember to credit your information source and photos.

Laurie Fox Virginia Tech Hampton Roads AREC

The Value of Trees

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Neighborhood Tree Makeup

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• native & non-native
• deciduous & evergreen
• landscape, shoreline, wetland
• city/public & private

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One of our most valuable assets!

5 oaks

4 maple

4 cherries

3 holly

3 plum

3 magnolia

2 dogwood

lace bark elm

Chinese pistache

loquat

Bradford pear

red bud

serviceberry

loblolly pine

Hackberry

bald cypress

sweet gum

tulip poplar

Eastern red Cedar

ginko

black gum

persimmon

sassafras

river birch

Atlantic white cedar

pawpaw

44 species

Services

Services

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Provisioning - food, fresh water, wood, fiber, genetic resources, medicines

ConstantineAlexander.net

Maurice Baker

www.arborday.org

HuffPost.com

James Urban, FASLA

www.salisbury.sa.gov.au

“Soil Biology: The Soil Food Web” USDA Nat’l Resources Conservation Service

Services

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Regulating - climate regulation (heat island), natural hazard regulation (flood & wind), water purification, waste management (phytoremediation), pollination, and pest control (beneficials)

MetLink Royal Meterological Society

Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources

Guthrie Nichols 2014US Coast Guard, Elizabeth City

• intercept 12-35 % rainwater that falls on them
• mature deciduous 500 to 2000 gal per year
• mature evergreen 4,000 gal per year
• 100 mature trees keep ~ 140,000 gal per year from storm drains

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U.S. Forest Service & Penn State

1 inch of rainfall per acre = 27,000 gallons of stormwater

Trees & Water Quality

1/2 inch of rainfall per 1000ft² = 600 gallons of stormwater

L. Fox

The impacts of development & stormwater best management practices (BMPs)

Post-developed (with

Detention)

Post-developed

Pre-developed

Source: Schueler, T., 2010. Chesapeake Stormwater Training Partnership..

5.2 million trees in NYC X $61/tree=$317.2

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Habitat - migratory species, green corridors, gene-pools

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Cultural - spiritual enrichment, intellectual development, recreation, history, place, and aesthetics (property value)

• reduce crime & violence
• improve health & lower anxiety
• children with ADHD show

fewer symptoms

• reduces mental fatigue
• provides teaching opportunities
• tree bathing

Acorn Naturalists

Mature trees can increase property value by 20%

U.S. Forest Service

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• desirable street on which to live
• more sociable neighborhoods
• noise abatement
• moderate flooding & wind damage

L. Fox

http://www.treebenefits.com/calculator/

L. Fox