The value of Charlotte's tree canopy
In today’s world, characterized by tight city budgets, aging infrastructure, and fierce competition for city resources, why focus on trees? Trees have emerged as a cost-effective and critical city infrastructure providing numerous services and benefits to the community. Thanks to new technology and scientific modeling that quantifies those services, the role of trees in cities has started to change over the past few decades.
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Charlotte's trees provide residents and business owners vital benefits valued at over $335 million each year. |
Trees are becoming recognized as significant city infrastructure for three reasons:
1. Trees provide effective and low-cost solutions to many urban challenges. Urban trees have proven to be an effective tool across multiple city management areas, including planning, economic development, public health, and sanitation. Read more about the benefits Charlotte's trees provide in each of the links below.
1. Trees provide effective and low-cost solutions to many urban challenges. Urban trees have proven to be an effective tool across multiple city management areas, including planning, economic development, public health, and sanitation. Read more about the benefits Charlotte's trees provide in each of the links below.
- Rainfall Intercepted. 1.2 billion gallons of rainwater are intercepted by Charlotte's trees. This is a service valued at over $10 million annually as it helps reduces the amount of rain that flows to Charlotte's waterways after rainstorms.
- Reduced Energy Costs. Residents and businesses in Charlotte save over $15 million each year thanks to avoided cooling needs from nearby trees.
- Heat Stress Alleviation. Urban areas without trees often experience temperatures 15-25°F hotter than nearby less developed areas. Trees in Charlotte reduce the heat stress for city dwellers, which is critical for those over the age of 60 or under 5 years of age. These two age groups comprise over 15% of the city's population (US Census 2016).
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- Improved Air Quality. Trees also remove dust and chemicals from the air, which lowers incidents of asthma and other respiratory issues for those living and working in Charlotte.
- Improved Public Health. Proximity to trees and greenspace has been shown in numerous studies to create healthy environments for people and improve wellness in people of all ages.
- Increases in Property Values. Trees increase residential property and commercial rental values. Charlotte's trees are estimated to provide a $286 million boost in property values.
- More Successful Business Districts. People will spend more and shop longer in commercial districts with trees.
- Safer, More Walkable Streets. In an age where walkability and pedestrian-friendly areas tend to draw the most people, tree cover is a powerful tool in revitalizing districts and neighborhoods.
- Essential Wildlife Habitat. Trees in Charlotte provide critical habitat and food for birds and other wildlife.
- Crime Prevention. Trees have been shown to reduce crime, vandalism, and graffiti.
- Noise & Pollution Buffers. Pollution and noise from busy roadways and rail lines can create unhealthy and undesirable conditions for those living nearby. Buffers of trees reduce both noise and pollution.
If all the quantifiable benefits listed below are added up, Charlotte's tree canopy provides the community with over $335 million in ecosystem services each year (Table 1). This includes the removal of almost 5.4 million pounds (2,690 tons) of air pollutants, interception of 1.2 billion gallons of stormwater, and capture of 470,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the air. Additionally, trees save Charlotte residents an estimated $15 million in cooling costs and boost property values by roughly $286 million. Add in the enormous amount of carbon (11.5 million tons) trees store over their lifetimes, and the total overall benefits soar to over $754 million.
2. Trees are a smart investment. Cities see a strong return on investment in every public dollar spent on trees and tree care. A recent five-city study found that cities accrued benefits ranging from $1.50–$3.00 for every one dollar invested in trees (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2015).
3. Trees increase in value over time. Unlike man-made systems, trees are the only urban infrastructure that actually increase in services and value over time. As trees mature, the benefits they provide increase exponentially, unlike more traditional city infrastructure such as roads and bridges that deteriorate with age. Upon learning about the magnitude of these services, many communities often want to start planting more trees right away. However, to effectively and efficiently make lasting improvements, it is important to first accurately assess the state of the existing urban forest, establish goals for the future, and use this information to map out the most effective ways to move forward.