Trees remove carbon and provide oxygen, but with less of an impact than some of the other options. However, once planted, benefits continue for years and increase as the trees grow.
Additional benefits include:
- Providing shade, thereby reducing air conditioning costs
- Improving neighborhood attractiveness
- Increasing the value of your home and all homes in your neighborhood
- Cleaning the air of pollutants, particularly useful for those with asthma and allergies
- Providing edible fruit or nuts, if so chosen
- Providing privacy from neighbors
You may choose to plant trees at your home or work with your city to plant trees in the parkway (between curb and sidewalk). Cities prefer shade trees (not fruit or nut trees) in parkways, so consider planning fruit or nut trees in your backyard – and enjoy peaches, apples, pears, cherries, oranges, lemons, limes or other fruit hidden on your property! Some fruit trees require two trees to cross-pollinate and produce fruit, so be informed!
Your community government may subsidize shade trees in the parkway. We lost a lot of trees on our block, and I coordinated with neighbors to add trees in front of their houses. This was subsidized by my community (thank you River Grove) and myself. The city planted the trees professionally and purchased bigger trees at discounted costs. The year we planted trees, the city volunteered to include water bags around the trees – as shown above. These leak water in a continual way, helping to water these trees during the critical first two year period.
It is also important to protect the base of the tree from hungry rabbits or animals that eat bark on young trees during winters. Bark removal enables insects to damage and kill the tree. Use fencing or tape help to protect young trees.
When planting trees, it is necessary to water them preferably twice weekly for two years, particularly in spring, summers and fall. Trees do not need to be watered during cold winters, when they are dormant. If trees are not sufficiently watered, they will seek out water where they can find it: e.g., sewer pipes in your yard and/or shallow roots to collect rain water. The picture below shows exposed roots that may exist due to insufficient water or land erosion.
