Value of Trees
Saving Trees from Invasive Species and Promoting the Care and Management of Our Valuable Trees The United Nations declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). This worldwide campaign is promoting the value of our precious plant resources and the need to safeguard them against invasive pests. To celebrate IYPH, each month the Bay County Forest Sustainability Program will highlight how Bay area residents can help protect the health of our valuable trees against invasive pests.
May is planting time for home gardeners and it is important to remember to get your seed from a reliable source. Make sure your seeds come from a reputable provider to assure that you are:
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Getting seeds for the plant you want
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Seeds that are free of disease and other contaminants
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Seeds that will produce healthy plants
The USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine Service has been working in collaboration with the U.S. seed industry, the National Plant Board, and academia to develop a holistic approach to systematically reduce pest contamination risks across the seed production continuum. Buying seeds approved by USDA can go a long way to ensuring that you can grow healthy plants this spring that do not contain invasive species and diseases that could harm our local horticulture.
National Tree Benefit Calculator
The National Tree Benefit Calculator is simple to use, very accessible, and should be considered a starting point when learning about and understanding a tree’s value in our community. For example, an Ash tree from the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program’s inventory and treatment operations is a 14.5 inch wide tree that is in front of a single family residence. This tree will provide overall energy, economic and ecological benefits of $141.00 annually to the home. If this same tree is well taken care of and grows up to 19.5 inches in diameter, it will provide $192.00 in annual benefits. Additional benefits of this one (1) 14.5 inch ash tree include intercepting 1,394 gallons of storm water runoff per year, raises the property value by $48 per year, reduces atmospheric carbon by 797 pounds, and conserves 223 Kilowatt hours of electricity for cooling and reduces consumption of oil or natural gas by 26 thermal units – These are big benefits that grow each year as the tree matures.
To get started visit the National Tree Benefit Calculator at http://www.treebenefits.com/calculator/. If you're unsure of what type of trees you have another fun tool is the Tree Identification feature on the Arbor Day organization website at https://www.arborday.org/trees/whatTree/ or email a picture to the Forest Sustainability at lowellj@baycounty.net and staff will help identify the tree.
To find out more about the value of your trees and what is being done to protect them visit the Bay County Forest Sustainability Program website at https://www.baycounty-mi.gov/ForestSustainability/Default.aspx or contact Jeremy Lowell, Forest Sustainability Coordinator at lowellj@baycounty.net
| Additional benefits of this 14.5 inch ash tree include:
- Intercepts 1,394 gallons of storm water runoff per/year.
- Raises the property value by $48 per/year.
- Reduces atmospheric carbon by 797 lbs.
- Conserves 223 kilowatt hours of electricity for cooling and reduces consumption of oil or natural gas by 26 thermal units.
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