The right tree for the right place is a tricky choice, especially in urban environments. So what affects our choices?
Of the two pictures below;
Which street has a lower incidence of crime, graffiti and vandalism?
Which streets surface will last longer?
Which street has property values 20% higher?
Which street has lower levels of nitrous oxide and ozone?
Which street is cooler in summer?
Which street has the fittest residents? *
Picture A is the correct answer: proven fact.
*Okay I made this one up but as the residents in streets with trees have to rake leaves, of course, they would be fitter.
The importance of trees cannot be understated
We use trees to manufacture paper, guitars, egg cartons, tyres, timber and lots more items that we would find difficult to live without (read toilet tissue). Trees also prevent erosion, filter stormwater runoff, absorb pollutants, clean the soil via phytoremediation, and recharge aquifers. Trees are 'rainmakers' as they add humidity to the air through transpiration which makes clouds which make rain. No trees, no rain. Trees are also habitat to native fauna. But the bottom line is that the air would be unfit for us to breathe if we fail to maintain enough trees in our environment. Understanding this concept is one major key to sustainable living.
Getting the right advice before planting trees
In my line of work, we are involved in planting trees, removing trees and fixing damage caused by trees. Trees can cause damage to infrastructures such as footpaths, kerbing, foundations, pipes and power lines. They can cause allergies, roof damage and blocked gutters. Hence it is essential to get the right advice before planting a tree, the wrong choice of tree can have costly repercussions. Proper planning for the requirements of a tree as it grows will help alleviate such problems. However, remember that no tree is perfect. All trees have good and bad features. It is unlikely a tree will satisfy all your needs throughout its entire lifespan. The good thing about a tree is that it is renewable, but only if we replant them.
The big picture: government tree policies
Most governments have a well-researched tree management plan but are often criticised and suffer from 'damned if they do and damned if they don't' syndrome. There are pressures to increase the rate of forest loss by population growth (we need somewhere to live), profits and social influences (we need jobs and economic growth).
However, if the local government doesn't take action to beautify their towns, there is little attraction for tourists and economic growth. Governments are recognising that we have aging urban forests, and we need to ensure a diverse tree population as lack of variety leaves the trees vulnerable to attack from species-specific pest and disease. Diversity in tree age is also important to maintain thriving urban greenlife
Tree choice in urban planning
Latrobe City Council is one council who are putting extra effort into the design, planning and construction stages of urban tree planting. We have recently undertaken a project for Latrobe City Council, which involved the installation of tree pits. These are specially designed cells made from recycled plastic that are installed underground providing support for pavement and traffic on the surface while allowing the soil underneath to remain uncompacted and free-draining — ideal for healthy root growth. The incorporation of a root barrier prevents the tree roots from accessing areas outside the tree pit. This approach is part of the council's liveability policy, ensuring we can have the best of both worlds: healthy trees and sound infrastructure.
So next time you see a new street tree being planted, don’t just assume it has just been plonked there. There has usually been considerable planning and research undertaken into the species selection, ensuring the type of tree is suited to its application and environment
Trees in urban environments provide benefits through aesthetics, environmental, economic and social means and I think I could put up with having to rake leaves if it means the air is fit for me to breathe.[1]