I don’t know about the rest of you but I have some truly spectacular colour in the trees off my back porch at the moment. But are they TOO pretty to be taken seriously?
Here’s a few things I learned while Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee of Council, and why I believe the County’s Tree Policy must be turned into a Bylaw with Teeth:
Trees Clean Our Air
- removing greenhouse gas emissions – 1/3rd of global emissions according to US Forest Service
- help our health by removing pollutants from the air
- roadside trees reduce nearby INDOOR air pollution by more than 50%, Lancaster University UK
Trees Provide Oxygen
- one large tree can provide daily oxygen needs for 4 people – University of North Carolina State
Trees Provide Cooling
- lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade
- shaded surfaces may be 20-45% cooler than peak temperatures of unshaded – US EPA
- release water vapour into the air through their leaves
Trees save on energy costs
- properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by up to 30% – US Forest Service
Trees Protect Our Drinking Water
- act as filters for stormwater runoff
- In 1997 New York City spent $1.5 billion to preserve the forested watershed that supplies New York City’s drinking water by purchasing thousands of acres of upstate watershed. The cost of a new filtration plant would have been $6 billion – Ecosystem Marketplace2006
Trees Benefit Biodiversity
BC’s Ministry of Environment found trees protected 80 separate species
Trees Prevent Soil Erosion
Trees Save Taxpayer Money
TD Economics Department estimated that for every $1 spent by Toronto on tree maintenance, taxpayers gained $1.35 to 3.20 in value.
Trees Increase Property Values – numerous studies
Picton Main Street is becoming a Heat Island. The lack of shade a deterrent to browsing.
