Beyond Beauty: Establishing the Value of Urban and Suburban Trees

presented by David Bloniarz, USDA Forest Service and UMass.

Remote Seminar 1/11/2023

All interested Town residents are welcome to register for an online seminar this Wednesday, January 11th, 7pm-830pm: “Beyond Beauty: Establishing the Value of Urban and Suburban Trees,” presented by David Bloniarz, USDA Forest Service and UMass.

For event registration and more information, please visit https://community.massenergize.org/Lexington/events/780.

Most are aware that trees provide beauty and a boost to real estate values in the built-up world, and that shade trees mitigate the heat sink of sunshine on brick, concrete, and asphalt.  Trees and forests do much more.  As stated by the US Forestry Service, “[t]he trees around you

–remove hazardous pollutants from the air you breathe,

–absorb carbon dioxide from the air to store as wood,

–and control stormwater by intercepting and absorbing rainfall.” [i]

The presentation is sponsored by Energize Lexington, whose mission is “[t]aking on the climate challenge, one Lexington household at a time.[ii]”  Dr. Bloniarz will discuss scientific methods to determine the benefits of urban and suburban trees, including monetary values for the environmental work performed by trees.

The presentation includes a demonstration of iTree, the US Forestry’s flagship suite of online tools, which “delivers current, peer-reviewed tree benefits estimation science from the USDA Forest Service to all types of users with free tools and support.” [iii]

I look forward to packing the (virtual) house with neighbors.

In fair notice, I serve on Bedford Arbor Resources Committee (BARC).  For more information about BARC, please visit the Town website:  https://www.bedfordma.gov/443/Arbor-Resources-Committee

[i] https://www.itreetools.org/

[ii] https://community.massenergize.org/Lexington/

[iii] https://www.itreetools.org/