Take a second to picture a tree that you love – maybe it’s the big oak in your backyard, the street tree in front of your house, or the new ornamental tree that you just planted in your garden. You probably will do (a number of things²) several things to care for your tree – water it while it’s young or during a period of drought, mulch it in the springtime, or get it professionally pruned as it matures. 

You might also do some things to mitigate harm to the above-ground portions of the tree, like ask a builder not to hit the trunk or branches during a home renovation project. However, we generally don’t consider the potentially harmful effects of our every-day behavior on the health of our beloved trees, and consequently, fail to implement a few simple, but high-impact solutions.

Interacting with Our Trees

Let’s take those three hypothetical trees mentioned above. Maybe you picnic around that big oak in your backyard or dash underneath the canopy when it starts to rain. Maybe you walk across the sidewalk tree well in which your street tree is planted, while being careful not to hit the trunk as you open your car door. Maybe you water your ornamental tree, and then walk about the garden pulling weeds and tending to other plants.

These are all wonderful ways to interact with the trees at home or in our communities but walking repeatedly across the soil that’s covering tree roots (particularly when the soil is wet) is not one of them³.  This causes the soil to compact, squeezing out of it the water and oxygen  essential for healthy plant growth.

Water is an obvious plant requirement, but oxygen is just as necessary below ground as it is above. Without soil oxygen, the tree’s vascular systems cannot properly function and roots are unable to absorb water. There also are microbes and organisms underground that are beneficial to tree survival and need oxygen as well.

 

Spike Aeration Boosts Tree Health

Here at RI Tree Council, we (definitely) don’t want you to stop picnicking under your tree or wandering around your garden – and the good news is, you don’t have to! Here are some tips (and tricks) to perform soil aeration (the practice of loosening soil to create pathways between soil particles) so that you can keep your beloved trees healthy for years to come.

Spike aeration is the easiest way for home gardeners to aerate their soil on their own! Grab a spikey tool, like a hand cultivator, metal rake, or pitchfork and puncture the soil in a broad area all around your tree. This will allow it to become more porous so oxygen can access the roots and water can drain more readily through the soil. Be careful not to stab surface roots with your tool!

Aerate around your trees once or twice a year, in the spring and/or fall, and always follow-up with mulch (find a great video on how to properly mulch HERE). For mature trees that are starting to show their age, it might be best to aerate the soil, mulch a large area around the base, and then try your best to walk over the roots as little as possible. Mature trees tend to be even more vulnerable to soil compaction.

Lastly – be aware that a healthy-looking tree is not an indication that your soil is fine! The negative impacts of soil compaction might not become visible in the canopy for (a number of growing seasons) many years. Be proactive and build aeration into your annual tree care routine.

Want more tips about keeping your trees healthy, or planning for the installation of new woody plants? Check out RI Tree Council’s other articles on tree care HERE, or sign up for the next Tree Stewards course!

The 2022 Fall Tree Stewards Course held its Skills Workshop on the grounds of the Mohr Public Library, Johnston, RI on Saturday, October 22.  At the workshop, the students planted trees and shrubs.  They also performed routine and remedial pruning on small saplings and groupings of rhododendron and hydrangea growing at the library.  The class ended with each student demonstrating the proper way to obtain a soil sample for soil testing. 

The second classroom lecture of the 2022 Tree Stewards Course took place on Tuesday evening, October 11 at the Mohr Library, Johnston, RI.  Soil Management was the topic.   Students learned about the important physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil.  They were also instructed on how to take a proper soil sample, interpret soil test results, and implement test recommendations.  Next week’s class will focus on tree and shrubbery pruning. 

RITree’s Instructor Craig Hotchkiss explains Soil pH and its importance in maintaining healthy soils.

By John Campanini

Urban forestry is vital to the health and well-being of today’s cities and towns. Technically, urban forestry includes planting, maintaining, caring for, and protecting trees in urban areas. It also includes the planned connections of the city’s green spaces, including landscaped boulevards, parks gardens, side tree boxes, and river and coastal walkways. Put simply, Urban forestry makes a difference in our lives often without us knowing it.

Urban forestry recognizes that trees are a critical part of a city’s urban infrastructure—from individual street trees and urban green spaces to shady school groves and suburban forests. Urban forests comprise much of America’s canopy. Altogether, over 140 million acres of America’s landscape are in the country’s cities and towns. Rhode Island is notable for its 286,000 acres of urban and community land with 52% overall tree cover.

Rhode Island also is among the top five of all US states for urban and community land as a percent of total state land area. Forests in Rhode Island cover 56% or 368,373 acres of state land. An estimated 213 acres or 58% of the state’s forested land is considered core forest, defined as blocks of forested land greater than 250 acres in size. The state’s 38,000 private landowners collectively control about 68% of the state’s forestland.

Benefits of Urban Forests

The Value of Rhode Island’s Forests, a joint project of the Rhode Island Advisory Committee and the Rhode Island Tree Council, provides a more in-depth look at what the state’s forests contribute to the community. The project was developed for the RI DEM Division of Forest Environment and made possible with funding from the USDA Forest Service. Below are some little-known benefits that Urban forestry in the state provide:

·         Trees cut air pollution.

Trees generate their food by combing carbon dioxide (CO2), water, sunlight, and soil elements. The process cleanses our atmosphere and releases oxygen for us to breathe. Trees also trap particular pollutants, like ash, pollen, smoke, and dust, and absorb CO2 and other dangerous gases harmful to living beings. Plus, trees produce enough oxygen on each acre for 18 people daily.

·         Trees fight the greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect occurs when our atmosphere prevents heat from the sun from radiating back into space by air-polluting gases. That boosts temperatures globally and threatens everyone on the planet. Trees reduce the greenhouse effect. They shade homes and office buildings, cut air conditioning needs by about 30%, and reduce the impact the burning of fossil fuels for electricity has on our atmosphere.

·         Trees conserve water, cut soil erosion

If cities lacked trees, they’d have to increase sewerage and storm water drainage channels and add waste treatment capacities to deal with more water runoff. That can boost a city’s infrastructure costs dramatically. Trees help cut those costs. Tree roots, for example, increase soil permeability. That, in turn, reduces surface runoff of water from storms, cuts soil erosion and sedimentation, increases groundwater recharge, and reduces wind erosion of soil.

·         Trees reduce heat-related health problems

Excessive heat and airborne pollutants can dramatically increase health-related problems within an urban community. Trees reduce these problems. The moderate city temperatures decrease respiratory ailments caused by lowering airborne pollutants and supply relief in an often-stressful city life. Residents are also encouraged to walk in their neighborhoods daily when a beautiful tree landscape exists. This activity keeps people fit and encourages social interactions.

·         Trees boost economic stability

Cities that feature significant urban forestry thrive compared to those that don’t. Studies show that have an expanded urban forest:

• Attractive more businesses and tourists
• Help landlords rent apartments and offices faster
• Boost employee productivity while cutting absenteeism
• Encourage shoppers to shop longer along tree-lined streets
• Boost a city’s pride and community spirit

Trees also help block or absorb city noise in an urban environment and help create a positive first impression among visitors.

Practical, Productive, and Practicable

The five items mentioned above are just some of the benefits urban forests provide. They also decrease crime, lower levels of social disorder, boost commercial property values, increase perceptions of safety, moderate local climate, and provide forage for humans and animals. These benefits grow over time. Trees strategically planted and maintained over time can generate returns up to three times the costs of planting and maintaining them.

Put simply, urban forests are not only productive and cost-effective but also practical and healthy. They provide economic, physical, social, emotional, and psychological benefits to a city’s residents. They also provide benefits for children. A recent study indicates the more interaction children with ADD have with nature, the more manageable their symptoms. With all these things going for urban forests, creating more of them makes sense.

 John Campanini is technical director of the Rhode Island Tree Council (RITree). A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, he was city forester for Providence for more than twenty years before retiring.

Do you know what the word “phenology” means? If you don’t, you’re not alone. Most people never even heard of the word. But, thanks to the critical changes occurring in our weather patterns, it’s a term you’ll be hearing a lot more about. You might even want to join RITree’s research and data collection efforts in phrenology at some point as we try to track what’s happening with our planet and climate.

Phenology refers to the “cyclical and seasonal natural phenomena in relation to climate, vegetation, and animal life.” Phenology studies when species in geographic areas change. Why is this information critical? Because it tells us about our food supply and ecosystem. It also helps us determine if species critical to our survival will endure in our changing world.

Uses of Plant Phenology

Phenology is nature’s calendar. It’s also a critical survival tool. Without its help, we might not be able to survive on the planet for long. Knowing the timing of plant and insect life, for example, helps farmers and gardeners decide when to use fertilizers and pesticides and when to plant to avoid frosts.  

Many people use phenology to prepare for seasonal events and don’t even know it. Taking medication to prepare for the allergy season, for example, is an example of phenology in action. Here are some other uses of phenology:

• Manage invasive species and forest pests
• Predict human-health related evens (mosquitos)
• Select the right time to fertilize and harvest crops
• Understand the timing of some ecosystem processes (carbon cycling)
• Guage the vulnerability of species, populations, and ecological communities

Charles Morren, a Belgian botanist, first used the term in 1853. But it was Robert Marsham, an English naturalist, who wrote the first phrenological text in 1736, called Indications of Spring. Interest in phenology as a science has grown since then.

Research in phenology is becoming more urgent, thanks mainly to climate change activities. When events, such as weather patterns, impact phenology, the outcomes can often be catastrophic.

Phenology and Climate Change

Phenological change is one way to study climate change. Flowers, for example, might bloom later than usual. Animals might migrate on a different schedule. And leaves might fall later than usual.

These changes may seem small at first. But they can have huge impact on climate change. They might also lead to issues within species that might have a domino effect on the ecosystem.

Phenology can also help us daily. Trees, shrubs, and flowers, for instance, are susceptible to changes in daylight and time of day. These plants develop regularly based on the local environment and conditions.

Other natural phenomena like bird migration and the emergence of insects can also signify a change in the climate. While not perfect, following nature’s clock helps us tune in to the rhythm of life around us.

If you’re a gardener, for example, it helps to observe the following “firsts” in your garden:

• First bud (of various plants)
• First bloom (of various plants)
• First animal migration
• First appearance of different insects
• First emergence of hibernating animals
• First amphibian (like spring peepers)

You can use these events as indicators for when it’s the ideal time for planting things like potatoes, cabbage, or broccoli.   

Phenology and RI Tree

RITree’s Plant Phenology Project tracks plant development over the annual plant growing season. It’s the ultimate outdoor activity. All you have to do is observe plants, record what you see, and send us the results. You don’t even have to leave the home grounds.

You can monitor plants in your yard or neighborhood. The whole process shouldn’t take long. You’ll be satisfying your curiosity, experiencing nature in a new way, and benefiting plant science and the RI Tree Council. No advanced training is required.

Our site provides all the materials you will need to get started. They can be downloaded and include: Monitoring Instructions (Definitions), Data Recording Sheet, and Target Plant Slide Shows (Shrubbery, Small Flowering Trees and Large Trees) illustrating essential plant features.

If you want to know more about plant phenology or participate in our plant phenology project, contact RI Tree at (401) 764-5885. You’ll increase your plant knowledge and improve your plant skills.

John Campanini

Technical Director, RITree Council

If you read Root Tips, RITree’s newsletter, you may be aware of our Growing Degrees Days (GDD) project. It monitors plant development and insect activity statewide from April through October with the help of volunteers. They collect daily weather data on air and soil temperature and precipitation and send RITree the results. RI Tree staff then uses the air temperature figures to calculate the daily, monthly, and yearly GDD count.            

GDD is a hands-on tool for relating climate to plant and animal development. It tracks tree and shrub stages of growth and the presence of plant-attacking pests. Plus, it helps determine the best time for plant scouting and applying fertilizers and pesticides, the amount of heat stress on plants, and the proper time to harvest fruit and vegetables. These events impact the state’s landscape.

What Does GDD Measure?

GDD measures heat accumulation. Horticulturists, gardeners, and farmers use GDD to predict plant and insect development rates during a growing season. Different insect species require different amounts of heat or physiological time to go from one life stage to another. GDD tells us, for example, when an insect’s eggs are going to hatch and when vulnerable stages of certain insects will occur.  

For example, the White pine weevil is a disfiguring insect pest of needled-leaf evergreens (Spruce, Fir and Pines), feeding on their terminal leaders, eventually killing them. Research indicates that this weevil is active in Rhode Island in April when the GDD count nears 55. Knowing this allows tree care providers to undertake plant protection measures with arrow-like precision, saving on labor and pesticides to boot.  

Estimating the Base Threshold Temperature

A critical factor in determining GDD is an organism’s baseline temperature (or development threshold). Baseline temperature is the minimum temperature at which plants and insects grow. Different organisms have different baseline temperatures. That depends on a plant or insect’s physiology. Most temperate growing woody ornamentals, for example, (have a baseline temperature of 50°F

Plants and insects stop growing when the temperature drops below their baseline temperatures. Laboratory tests and field experiments have determined the threshold for many plants and insects. If a plant or insect lacks a baseline temperature, you can use 50°F—a number used for woody ornamental trees in the Northeast. Many plants and insects start growth at about 45-55 F.   

Calculating Growing Degree Days

Calculating GDD is not that difficult. It only requires two steps. The first involves determining the average temperature by adding the daily low and high temperature and dividing this sum by 2. The next step calls for subtracting 50 (the baseline threshold) from the average temperature. Positive numbers are reported as the daily GDD count. Zero or negative numbers are recorded as 0.     

For example, if a min/max thermometer indicates a low of 45°F and a high of 75°F, then the average temperature for the day was (48+76)/2 = 62°F. Next, subtract 50 from the average temperature. The result is 12 growing degree days or heating units.  

Takeaway on Growing Degree Days

Many people use calendar days alone to determine plant and insect growth and development. This method works but can be misleading. Growing Degree Days is a better way to measure the growth and development of plants and insects.

When combined with the calendar method, it’s a far more accurate approach to tracking GDD than using calendars days by themselves. That’s especially true during the early stages of plant and insect growth.  

GDD volunteers are a great help to us. As part of the project, we supply the measuring tools (rain gauge, thermometers, and so on) and training needed to implement the project.

If you’re interested in learning more about the GDD project or want to participate, contact RI Tree at (401) 764-5885 or Email us at ritree@ritree.org.

This article is the second on evaluating the worth of a tree on your property. In the first article we discussed an informal way of judging a tree’s worth. Here we look at more formal ways of valuating a tree.

Trees offers numerous benefits to the community. No question about it. But they also have a dollar value all their own. So, if you lose a tree on your property, you can sometimes recapture its monetary loss through an insurance claim or by taking a deduction on your federal income tax. The IRS defines a casualty loss as “… a loss resulting from an identifiable event of sudden, unexpected, or unusual nature.” Events under this definition include storms, floods, lightning, vandalism, and air and soil pollution. 

Before filing an insurance claim or taking a deduction, however, you need to determine the value of the tree. You can do that yourself, which can be a challenge. Or, you can contact a qualified arborist to help you appraise the tree. He or she can help you determine the tree’s value for insurance losses, tax deductions, estate assessments, and tort claims. The appraisal also is handy if questions arise about the value of a tree on your property.

What is an Appraisal?

An appraisal is an objective, unbiased estimate of trees (or any other type of plant) on your property. In that case, you may need to litigate the dispute in a court or by arbitration, which would be based on an unbiased and honest appraisal of the plant’s value by professionals. The best time to get an appraisal is before the tree is damaged or destroyed. But many appraisals occur after a tree is damaged, removed, or destroyed from a person’s property.

If you evaluate a tree after the loss, the appraiser must gather critical information about the tree. The information may include previous site records, tree assessments, site reviews, and witnesses to the tree’s condition. The appraiser may also conduct a comparative sampling on a local basis. A critical step in determining valuation is the tree’s depreciation factors, including the tree’s condition, functional limitations, and external limitations.

The tree’s condition refers to its overall health. Functional limitations include tree placement, site conditions, the proximity of power lines, and any genetic issues. External limitations include issues outside the owner’s control that can affect the tree’s structure, form, and sustainability, such as water availability, threats from pests, ordinances, and rights of way. Having determined the tree’s pre-damage condition, the appraiser then determines the evaluation for your tree.

Methods for Evaluating Trees

Three methods exist for evaluating trees—the Cost Approach, Income Approach, and Sales Comparison approach. You can find a good description of each method in Guide for Plant Appraisal, the 10^th edition of which is now available. The publication is endorsed by significant arboriculture and horticultural groups. It’s a good resource for valuating trees.

The Cost Approach focuses on the plant, location, and species as depreciation factors. While the Income Approach uses the value of produce to assign value to a tree. The Sales Comparison Approach to valuing a tree considers the increase or decrease to your property by the plants’ presence. Each evaluation method has its pros and cons. The Tree Council can help you choose the correct method for you, given these pros and cons.

But evaluating a tree or trees on your property can be a challenge. It’s a complex undertaking, which is why it’s better left to a professional. Take the Cost approach, for example. Four methods exist for this approach—the Replacement Cost method, Trunk Formula method, Cost of Repair method, and Cost of Cure method. A popular technique within this Cost Approach Method is the Trunk Formula Technique (TFT), which uses the unit tree cost formula to determine value.

You can obtain the tree unit costs from local resources—either a consulting arborist or the Regional Plant Appraisal Committee (RPAC), which includes industry experts associated with the local chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. The RPAC determines unit costs for commonly available trees in your area, the tree’s obtainability, and their functional limitations in your area.

Hiring a Professional Makes Sense

Determining the value of a tree on your property is critical. To do it properly, however, requires training, expertise, and experience. So, evaluating the tree yourself may not be in your best interest. Ideally, you should hire a qualified professional to do the job. He or she will assign a value to your tree and then defend, explain, and support the results if there’s a dispute.

Buying a tree for your property shouldn’t be taken lightly. Trees provide numerous benefits to homeowners and communities, including functional, aesthetic, social, and environmental contributions. They also provide economic value to your home and property that you can express in dollars and sense. The value of a tree in economic terms, however, can be more than you think. So, make sure you consult a tree professional when buying a tree for your home or property. Doing so will pay off in the long run.

Are you confused about buying the right tree for your property? Then contact RI Tree at (401) 764-5885. We’ll help you choose a tree that makes sense for you and your property.

By: John Campanini, RITree Technical Director

This blog post is the first of two on the valuation of trees. It discusses how homeowners can evaluate the worth of a tree on their property. The second blog post will discuss more formal tree appraisal methods.

How much is that tree on your property worth? If you’re like many homeowners, that thought seldom crosses your mind. That’s no surprise. Homeowners tend to buy trees based mostly on aesthetics or what they think will look good in their yards. While aesthetics is a great reason for buying a tree, it’s not the only one.

You also need to look at the economic benefits trees bring to the table. Trees boost the economic value of one’s property and home more than you may realize. Truth is, the right tree planted in your yard makes a difference to your home and property—a big difference. Often, that difference goes well beyond your initial cost for the tree.

So how much is a tree on your property worth?

Research by the Arbor Day Foundation shows that planting a good-sized tree increases property values anywhere from 3% to 15%. The Council of Tree Landscape Appraisers, on the other hand, says a sound mature tree can add $1000 to $10,000 to the value of your home. Put simply, when it comes to selling a house, trees improve curb appeal.

What’s more, a good shade tree can save you money by cooling off your house. Some experts say it can reduce your home cooling bill by 50%. In the winter, the right tree (Evergreens) can block the wind, cutting heating costs from 20% to 50%. Suffice it to say, then, that trees boost the value of a home and property—a consideration you should keep firmly in mind when buying a tree.

Determining the Value of Trees

RITree’s recent inventory of forests in six Rhode Island urban communities—Cranston, Johnston, North Providence, Warren, Warwick, and Woonsocket—found that an average tree provides over $108 in annual value, including:

• $42 in energy savings
• $40 in aesthetic value
• $11 storm water control

That’s a great return on your investment from a single tree over a single year. Over ten years the return adds up considerably. It compares favorably to the return provided by planting a public tree. A public tree in its 20th year after planting, provides $96 in benefits and only costs $36 for an annual net benefit of $60.

And let’s not forget the economic benefits trees bring to the community. Research by the Tree Council, for example, shows that collectively, the six Rhode Island communities mentioned above provide about $32.5 million annually in environmental services, including savings, carbon storage, and storm water controls thanks to the trees on their land.

Put simply, trees increase the value of your land and a healthy return on your money when planted on your property. If you want to calculate the economic benefit provided by s single tree in any landscape, go to the MyTree website at: https://mytree.itreetools.org.

Seven Trees that Add Value to Your Property

The key to generating a great return on your property is finding the right tree for your yard. Matching the right tree to the right property benefits both the tree and the property. With all the different species available, however, choosing the right tree for your yard can be confusing.

Ideally, you want to select a tree that grows to a known width and height. That way, you can match the tree to the space available. Plus, some trees, add more economic value to your home and property than others.

Maples, oaks, lindens, and tulip trees are good choices for local homeowners from an economic standpoint. So are magnolias, ornamental cherry, and citrus trees. Deciduous trees are great for suburban gardens. They let light in autumn and winter.

While these trees add value to your property, not all of them are well suited for every site. Some considerations when selecting a tree for your property in addition to the value they provide and their economic benefit include:

• Tree form and size
• Tree placement
• Growing conditions
• Soil conditions
• Clearance for sidewalks
• Clearance for driveways
• Function of the tree
• Exposure to sun and wind

These are critical factors you need to take into consideration when buying a tree for your property. That’s why it helps to consult someone knowledgeable about trees when buying a tree for your yard.

Buying a tree for your property is a serious decision. So, do your homework when it comes to purchasing a tree or trees to plant in your yard. Research the tree’s pros and cons and then consider the factors mentioned above. Doing that will help you choose the perfect tree for your property—one that not only beautifies your land but also boosts its value.

If you’re still confused about buying the right tree for your property, contact RI Tree at (401) 764-5885. We’ll help you choose a tree that makes sense for you and your property.