Did you know that Concord has been an official Tree City for 23 years? It makes sense because if you look around you’ll see trees downtown, in neighborhoods and throughout the thousands of acres of park and natural areas within the city boundaries. But what does it mean to be a Tree City?
The Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the US Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters, launched the Tree City program in 1976 to promote the greening of America cities and towns. To be designated a Tree City, a community must adhere to four standards, which include maintaining a tree board/committee, having a tree ordinance to address tree care and health, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.
Concord’s Tree Subcommittee, part of the Conservation Commission, is the group responsible for maintaining the standards and also promoting appropriate tree plantings and maintenance on public and private property to enhance the urban tree canopy.
There are many benefits to planting and nurturing trees in urban settings. An obvious one is that trees provide shade and make spaces cooler. More specifically they can drastically lower the surface and air temperature by as much as 20 to 45 degrees, reducing the need for air conditioning. Trees not only block the sun but use the sun through a process called evapotranspiration, releasing water through the tiny pores in their leaves called stomata, which creates a natural air conditioning.
Helping us stay cool in the summer is great, but some trees, particularly evergreens that retain their needles in the winter, can act as wind breaks or buffers and reduce heating costs during the colder months. Therefore trees reduce energy consumption throughout the year.
Trees are sometimes referred to as the lungs of the planet because they take up carbon dioxide (the gases we breathe out, emit from our vehicles and smoke stacks) and release oxygen (a gas that we need for our very existence). This process not only provides us with cleaner air to breathe but also helps to reduce the amount of airborne CO2, a major contributing factor to our warming climate.
Soil and water health also depend on trees. Roots slow water movement and prevent erosion. This allows rain to soak in and recharge ground water, rather than rapidly flowing away.
Of course, many other organisms also depend on trees. Because trees come in so many different sizes, shapes and structures, they add to the biodiversity of animal life that can live in an area. Oak trees are particularly valuable for wildlife. A mature oak can provide food and shelter to hundreds of species of caterpillars, and other insects. Birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles may reside in the trees and feed on those invertebrates. Countless microorganisms also live in and on oaks and other trees. With so many inhabitants, an oak is like its own Tree City!
Beyond the ecological reasons for planting and maintaining trees in our communities, studies have shown that there are sociological and psychological benefits to having trees around us. There is less crime, littering and vandalism in places that have trees, compared to those that don’t. Property values are higher in treed areas. People spend more time in tree-lined downtowns, supporting businesses and invigorating local economies. More evidence is pointing to the fact that people are healthier both physically and mentally when they live, work and/or play in areas that contain a significant number of trees.
With so many reasons to promote trees, Concord’s Tree Committee is encouraging people to augment public installations by planting more trees on private property. Concord’s Sustainable Street Tree program covers the cost of planting trees (the purchase price is the responsibility of a property owner) in areas deemed appropriate. To learn more visit concordnh.gov/1340/Sustainable-Tree-Program.
When planting trees, choosing species that are native to our area is almost always preferable because those species have adapted to our region. Native insects and other wildlife have co-evolved with them and therefore are not likely to cause some of the issues that arrive with exotic invasive organisms. The city website has links to tree identification information, planting tips and more at concordnh.gov/1710/Tree-Information.
Even if you aren’t able to plant a new tree, please take time to appreciate the ones we have in our Tree City.