This spring, I’ve borne witness to more than 15 beautiful, mature and healthy trees come down from my neighbors’ yards. During bird nesting season.
Gone are nests, baby birds, insects, cooling shade, water absorption, carbon removal. Many of the suburban folks who live in this area do not seem to understand the importance of trees for the health of their yards, their neighborhood, their health and the surrounding region. They moved to this area to be closer to nature, to live in an area of beauty. And yet, by stripping the area of trees and replacing them with endless, chemically-laden stretches of monoculture grass in full sun, they are slowly killing the very beauty and health of the area.
One of my neighbors, wielding a gas-powered leaf blower last November, said to me, “I hate leaves.”
How did suburban life get this way? There have been many op-eds complaining about America’s obsession with the perfect green lawn (here’s one from 1989). And, there is increasing awareness that the chemical-laden, water-hogging turf lawn is quite damaging to the environment. And yet, the obsession continues to tighten. People seem to get crazier and crazier each year.
For example, I moved here in the year 2000. That year, I think only one (4%) of my neighbors used a commercial lawn service. One of them was retired and they had recently married and combined their assets, so they could afford the service. Several of us employed the teenager at the end of the cul-de-sac. He used our lawnmower and did no special whacking or blowing- just a cut. Now, 11 (44%) of the homeowners use commercial lawn services and most of those who don’t treat their lawns to the “full treatment” of fertilizers, pesticides, trimmers, blowers. They cut their lawns into regular stripes that look just like a commercial service. Every single day, for multiple hours, the machines roar in this neighborhood. Today, a Saturday in May, a commercial tree-removal service began work at 7:15am, running massive chain saws and mulchers. They are still at it and it’s 4pm. In the meantime, a lawn service began at about 10am and now, there’s still lawn mowing and leaf-blowing going on.
But, I digress. I was going to say a few words about why trees are such wonderous creatures, worthy of cultivating and maintaining, rather than cutting down.
- Trees have leaves that provide beauty and shade. Deciduous trees leaf out in the spring, with gorgeous new-green and red hues. The leaves become larger and various shades of green as the chlorophyll levels reach maximum benefit. Then, in the fall, deciduous leaves turn colors of yellow, orange, red and purple, putting on a dazzling farewell display before falling to the ground for the winter.
- The leaves that fall can be mulched and used to nourish the soil, and protect developing insects and provide shelter for other animals.
- The shade provided by trees in the summer reduces the local temperature and also enhances the ability of the air to retain moisture. When you walk under a tree on a hot sunny day, it feels cool and comfortable- an escape from the harsh sun’s rays. If a tree shades your home, you save on air-conditioning costs.
- Trees are important wind screens, to protect you and your home during storms. They also absorb sound, so your yard is quieter and more peaceful.
- Trees are home to insects, birds and many other organisms.
- Underground, tree roots hold onto water and keep the soil from eroding. They work together with underground fungus to create a healthy, rich soil.
Somehow folks have lost sight of the value, beauty and importance of trees. Trees need to be important for property value, or people will continue to cut them down.
