Making a Case for Community Trees

At a major western university, a maturing tree that had once been ceremoniously planted by a national celebrity met its premature fate because it was near the corner of a building to be constructed. A little adjustment and adherence to building with trees principles could have saved the tree. Elsewhere in nearly every community, healthy trees often meet a sad fate unnecessarily for a wide range of reasons, and often without consideration of alternatives. 

In many of the bulletins, techniques are presented that allow trees to live harmoniously with urban soils, sidewalks, signs, construction projects, and other conditions common in urban settings. But all the research, science, technology transfer, and best management practices will come to naught without public understanding of the importance of trees and the will to spare them whenever possible. Of course, public safety comes first. However, beyond that lies the challenge to every tree board and friend of trees to make the case that mature trees are worth saving just as much as new trees need to be planted.