Lexington, KY - The Lexington Fayette Urban County Government's (LFUCG) urban forestry program has shrunk from seven full-time staff positions to four, to manage an estimated 53,000 street trees, as well as the uncounted trees in our parks, medians and greenways. After paying for staff time, there is little funding left to replace or remove compromised trees, let alone add to our tree inventory. There is simply too much to deal with: 10 percent of our street trees fall into the category of dead, dying or hazardous.
Karen Angelucci sees this situation quite clearly from her position as chair of the LFUCG Tree Board, now in its 13th year. The tree board "acts in an advisory capacity only, monitoring our trees and keeping our city government abreast of important urban forestry issues," Angelucci said. "The tree board has no real power; by law it cannot raise money, and it has very little funding."
Clearly, this state of affairs does not bode well for us or for our trees. Angelucci and three other concerned citizens have formed a non-profit organization, the Lexington Tree Foundation (LTF), with a mission to place the health of our urban forest front and center, to take its rightful place as one of the key issues this city needs to address. Karen is joined by Dave Leonard, a well-known and respected consulting arborist; Sue Beard, a local Realtor who chaired the Land and Nature Trust of the Bluegrass committee which wrote Lexington's Street Tree Ordinance; and Yvette Hurt, who practiced law with the Environmental Protection Cabinet and is now on the LFUCG Tree Board.
Why this big concern about our trees? Beyond the obvious benefit of their beauty, what do trees do for us?
Environmentally, they are big players. Tree canopy (the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above) and root systems slow and filter rainwater, thus reducing the impact of storms on our already beleaguered stormwater management systems. Research indicates that 100 mature tree crowns intercept about 100,000 gallons of rainfall per year, reducing runoff and providing cleaner water. Trees store carbon, remove many pollutants from the air and produce oxygen. And they have a marked cooling effect. As few as three trees properly positioned can save the average household between $100 and $250 annually in air conditioning costs.
The economic impact of trees is also notable. Studies report increased worker satisfaction and productivity. Trees increase the revenue received from retail and other business locations. Research shows that shoppers in well-landscaped business districts are willing to pay more for parking and up to 12 percent more for goods and services. Want to calculate the economic benefits of a specific tree in Lexington? Go to www.treebenefits.com/calculator, enter your zip code, and follow the directions.
Despite the proven value of trees in the urban setting, without some serious and timely intervention, the founders of the Lexington Tree Foundation note that the future for Lexington's urban forest looks rather grim indeed.
American Forests (americanforests.org), the nation's oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation organization, recommends an average 40 percent tree canopy for cities east of the Mississippi River. Our tree canopy is at less than 20 percent and is in decline. Ice storm damage, drought, improper pruning, disease and insect infestations continue to take their toll.
Furthermore, we are losing more trees than we plant. Developers, who install most of the new trees, tend to plant monocultures (one species) of low-budget trees, and they are required to maintain them for only one year. Monocultures facilitate the transmission of disease and insect infestation.
There's more to this sad picture. American Forests' studies show that the average life of an urban tree is just 13 years. What is behind this alarming statistic? As Dave Leonard told me: "For a little tree to become a big tree, a healthy and site-appropriate young tree must be selected, properly planted and properly maintained. To end up with a healthy urban forest, we can't mess up on any of these steps - and we're messing up on all of them." With proper selection, planting and care, a large shade tree in an urban setting should live for at least 50 years, and often 100 years or more.
Clearly, there's a lot to be done. And a lot of benefits to be gained. Through education, advocacy and planting projects, LTF will work to develop a culture of "tree ambassadors" in Lexington -
people who are fully educated about the benefits of trees and the most effective tools for promoting a healthy urban forest.
LTF promotes public funding for a comprehensive urban forestry program in Lexington to ensure our street trees, as well as our park and greenway trees, are appropriately assessed, maintained and replaced.
The Lexington Tree Foundation is fund raising right now, seeking members to join hands and work toward a comprehensive urban forestry program for our city. This is not a nice-to-have; it's an essential requirement for a healthy city. For more information on the group, to get involved or to make a contribution, visit www.lexingtontreefoundation.org.
In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that, as a founding member who is also on the board of directors of the Lexington Tree Foundation, I have a vested interest in its success. But then, as a human being living in Lexington, so do you.