What Problems Can Be Caused by Removing Trees?
Sometimes, if a tree is diseased, damaged or is otherwise in a dangerous or precarious position, it must be removed for safety's sake. However, if you are considering removing trees simply to improve a view or redo your landscaping design, you may inadvertently be causing more problems than you're solving. If you must remove a tree, plant a new one to replace it, and buy the largest and most mature tree you can afford. Does this Spark an idea?
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Property Value
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Trees, especially healthy mature trees, can increase your property value by up to 15 percent, according to Eric Emad of the International Society of Arborculture. Do not remove any trees if you are considering selling your home in the next 5 to 10 years. Removing mature trees can also lower your neighbor's property values and can anger people who have relied on your trees for their view.
Heating and Cooling
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Trees provide windbreaks to help cut the cold winter wind, reducing your heating bill, and also provide shade to help keep your house cool in the summer months. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the USDA Forest Service found that if you remove any trees near your house, you can expect your heating and cooling bills to rise by 20 to 50 percent.
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Erosion Control
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The large root systems of trees help stop erosion by holding the soil in place, and this in turn helps prevent flooding. Think twice about removing any trees near creeks, rivers or lakes, especially if they are prone to flooding, and avoid removing trees on slopes or hillsides where erosion can be a problem. Tree roots also help filter pollutants out of the soil, keeping our drinking water supply safe and clean.
Wildlife
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A single tree in even the most urban environment can provide a habitat for dozens of birds, insects and other forms of wildlife. If you enjoy watching the birds in your yard, removing a tree will send them packing in a hurry. Also keep in mind that in the United States it is illegal to destroy the nest of any migratory bird, so if a family of birds have set up residence in one of your trees, you may be required by law to not cut the tree down, at least not until after the birds have moved on.
Pollination
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Many fruit trees require cross-pollination in order to bear fruit. This means that there must be at least two trees of the same species within a short distance of each other so that insects or the wind can exchange pollen between the two. Cutting down one apple tree in your yard might mean that the other one won't bear fruit any more, or possibly that your neighbor's apple tree down the street won't bear fruit.
Air Quality
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Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen, and in doing so, they help remove pollutants from the air, improving the air quality. Their presence also helps absorb the heat reflected off of pavement and asphalt, keeping the city cooler and more comfortable.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit chrismoon, sxc.hu
