As reported in the Times, one of the easiest ways to help heat islands and best ways to help cool our cities and yards is, ready, you guessed it, LEAVE THE TREES ALONE and plant more trees.

I am always appalled when I review a site plan on our Environmental Commission and see a developer coming in with their usual landscape plans. First, clear cut all of the trees. Then build in dark asphalt pavement and dark roof material. Then, oh, we are doing a good thing, we will plant trees.

Of course, the trees that they will plant are often non-native, some are even invasive…and of course, they are going to take down a 40 foot Oak and replace it with a 10 foot sapling. Which do you think will make for better shade?

In commercial sites, they will create planting islands that are 4-6 feet wide…plant Oak trees and then be gone when the trees die because they do not have enough land for their roots to grow.

Trees are the best defense against heat islands. Let’s mandate that developers leave all that they can. Let’s mandate that they plant larger trees if they are going to cut trees down and lastly let’s make their bonds last at least three years to cover the time it takes for a new tree to try and establish itself.

Read The Full Article Here:
What Technology Could Reduce Heat Deaths? Trees.