A memorial for my two dead trees

June 12, 2009

I must admit I'm not much of a nature person. My green thumb is usually on the throttle of a chainsaw. But lately, I've begun envisioning my Queen Village block with two fewer trees. One is so dead that large chunks of bark regularly fall onto the sidewalk. The other, after being struck by lightning, tried to make a comeback last summer but finally caved in this spring.

I've made the necessary 311 phone calls and submitted two Tree Maintenance Citizen Service Request Forms to the Fairmount Park Commission to have the trees removed. But as I walk home each night, I see these two dead trees and can't bear the thought of their absence on an otherwise leafy street. I could never live in a forest, but the street trees in Philadelphia soften the stresses of urban life and remind us that concrete is no substitute for the power of nature.

I won't repeat the lessons of grade school science (photosynthesis anyone?), but it bears noting that trees provide added benefits to urban areas. For example, trees mitigate flooding, absorb heavy rainfall, cool down the urban "heat island" effect, and according to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, "limit a driver's field of vision, helping cars to slow down and pedestrians to feel safer." (A nice perk for us helpless pedestrians.) And to top it off, a 2004 study by the Wharton School found that adjacency to a street tree boosted house prices in Philadelphia by 14%. (See this article from Arborist News for more economic impact data.)

Unfortunately, the green canopy in Greater Philadelphia is quietly thinning even though residents, like those of other urban centers, embraced the street tree movement in the early 20^th century. The five county region has lost five million trees over the last 15 years, according to a 2003 study by the USDA Forest Service and American Forests, Inc.  But fortunately, municipalities and states have taken notice and fund a number of programs to help preserve the current tree cover and work toward expanding the tree line in our cities and suburbs.

In 1993, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Fairmount Park Commission jointly launched Tree Tenders, a program to train residents on tree planting and maintenance. Volunteer Tree Tenders spend countless hours pruning, planting, and advocating for trees on city streets. In 2003, TreeVitalize, a public-private partnership, was founded to tap into state and federal dollars to reverse the loss of tree cover in Pennsylvania's metro areas. TreeVitalize works with local groups, including Tree Tenders and neighborhood associations, to provide resources and capacity to the tasks of maintaining and expanding our street tree density. Even the Philadelphia Water Department has explored how the tree canopy contributes to stormwater management and protects our water supply.  

So all in all, street trees are doing okay, right? Well, it's not that easy. Paying for the actual tree itself, often several thousands of dollars, is the missing link in connecting residents' passion for street trees and their ability to break ground. Many of the above street tree programs skirt around the issue of actually paying for the tree, often vaguely suggesting that residents can find a qualified contractor to supply the tree. According to a colleague, when new trees are planted, they are often paid for by funds cobbled together by interest groups, like UC Green, the above agencies, and residents themselves.

But where there's a will, there's a way, and it seems that in all the talk of green this or that, street trees should be at the top of the list. The passion, capacity, and, most importantly, infrastructure is already there to get trees in the ground quickly and start reaping the benefits of literally greener streets and communities. I've started thinking about how my block is going to pay to replace the two dead trees if the Fairmount Park Commission doesn't have the funds available. But after discovering my newfound passion for the trees on my block, maybe all I need to do is knock on some doors and get the conversation started. I'll leave my chainsaw at home.

--Christopher Scoville, Communications & Development Manager