Trees take the heat as temperatures flare

Tall and majestic or short and wide, trees are such a part of our daily lives that we mostly ignore them. That is, until we can’t.

Two recent cases involving trees have made headlines and raised the ire of community members in Camden, Me., and Greenwich, Conn.

In Maine, the deliberate poisoning and destruction of a 70-year-old resident’s stand of towering oaks and plants has resulted in a multi-million-dollar judgement against her wealthy neighbors, who admitted they poisoned the trees to improve their view.

Dubbed “Tree-Gate” by The Wall Street Journal, the culprits, Amelia and Arthur Bond, have been fined nearly $2 million for damages and restoration costs. They may also face additional charges for damage done to Camden’s beaches from herbicide contamination.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a neighbor, and a Greenwich neighborhood group paid to cut down more than 100 trees that grew in wetlands behind his home.  The governor has been fined $1,000 and ordered to replace the lost trees.

And, in Murphytown, N.C., three Asplundh workers were shot and seriously wounded while clearing trees for a local power company. The resident who confronted and shot them exchanged gunfire with sheriff’s deputies who shot and arrested him.

But not all the recent news about trees is bad. As concerns about the effect of global warming and its effect on our lives increase, officials and urban planners see the potential that trees have to help cool a rapidly heating environment.

As summers get hotter, demand for air conditioning has pushed electrical grids to the brink of failure, as they did recently in India. A heat-created power failure could cost millions of dollars and cause hundreds of deaths.

To help lower temperatures in neighborhoods, experts are turning to trees; studies have shown the presence of large numbers of trees and other vegetation in neighborhoods can lower ambient temperatures by up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, tree canopies and green walls help cool the air by a process called evapotranspiration.

In her book “The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet,” environmental engineer Dr. Nadina Galle argues for strategic plantings of green walls, rooftop gardens, and trees planted along streets to help cool our surroundings and save lives.  Shade from large, well-established trees helps cool homes, reducing demand and reliance on A/C units that tax the grid and expel more heat into the air outside.

Even a young tree, she notes, has a net cooling effect on the environment equivalent to 10 room-sized A/C units operating 20 hours a day. That effect doubles after 15 years when the tree reaches maturity.

So, adding trees can improve lives by beautifying the landscape and lowering electric bills.

According to Don Boeke,  ISA-certified arborist with Okula Tree Care, trees are important because they give character to a neighborhood and add a sense of well-being and serenity.

“People do complain sometimes about tree debris,” he said.  “Too many acorns, pinecones, leaves.  And sap can cause problems in parking areas. I do try and explain their value to people.  But not everyone sees the connection of trees to a better way of life.”

To help people improve their experience with trees, Boeke suggests choosing trees like pin oaks or other strong trees that will thrive in most any location. “Maples and oaks are popular here,” he said.

He also recommends planning ahead when choosing where to plant them. 

“A common mistake is planting too close to a foundation, or too near utility wires,” he said. “Time goes by fast, and trees grow quickly.”