We love trees! They provide beauty, shade, and color everywhere they grow, as well as homes for wildlife as a single tree in your yard or as one of a cluster in a wooded area. But trees are more than an aesthetic addition to a community. They provide health benefits as well, both physical and mental.
Unfortunately, in urban areas trees are disappearing. In Northeast Ohio’s major cities, the shrinking number of trees is prompting residents and the government to work together to revive the tree canopy and bring back the many benefits it can bring.
Saving trees is worth the effort
In urban and suburban areas, it can take work to plant, nurture, and maintain trees. When you consider that the simple presence of a tree and the sound of wind rustling its leaves can have an impact on mood and mental health, most would agree the effort is worth it. There are other proven benefits to a community that has a healthy tree canopy.
- Trees help remove pollutants from the air, water, and soil, thereby reducing the risk of asthma and contributing to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease for residents.
- The water vapor deposited into the air by trees actually cools the surrounding atmosphere and helps control the heat that is often generated by concrete and asphalt in urban areas.
- Trees, along with their scaped areas large or small, absorb rainwater, lessening the runoff that can lead to flooding and the need for larger sewer systems to prevent that flooding.
- Communities become more desirable with lower utility expenses and higher property values with trees providing quality and comfort for living, working, and playing.
Rebuilding the tree canopy
In urban areas, the ideal is to have trees at varying stages of growth so that as one reaches the end of its life, others have grown to replace it. Unfortunately, cities that have experienced growth over the years, especially industrial growth, generally lost a lot of trees in the process. Where a 30% tree canopy is considered a healthy starting point, many urban communities are well below this baseline or facing predictions that will take them below that line in the next several years.
Many of Cleveland’s inner-city neighborhoods are below 20%, and Cuyahoga County as a whole is only around 21%. In Akron, the tree canopy is at 34%, but members of Keep Akron Beautiful anticipate it dropping below 30% in less than 20 years if nothing is done. From Cleveland to Youngstown to Canton, city activists are working together to identify the best means of saving existing trees and expanding the tree canopy to protect their communities.
At GP Tree, we understand the challenge trees face in urban areas and how long it can take to build a tree canopy that will protect and improve the surrounding neighborhoods. City streets typically offer poor soil quality, space that is too small to accommodate a mature tree, excessive water runoff, and extreme heat. Planting the wrong tree can mean damage to sidewalks, streets, and sewer systems, which ultimately leads to removing the tree and the expense of repairs.
Nonetheless, communities are banding together. In Cleveland, efforts are underway to plant 3,000 to 5,000 trees each year. Akron wants to plant 100,000 trees by 2034. At GP Tree, we will always work first to save your trees by feeding, trimming, pruning, or cabling before we turn to removal as a last resort.
If you would like more information about the importance of trees in the urban ecosystem, or if you need expert tree services to maintain the health of your trees, contact GP Tree Service. We are the Akron, Ohio, area tree experts.