Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - (Page 36) SITE AMENITIES Money Does Grow on Trees Six practical reasons illustrate how and why trees do actually bare green fruit. By Pepper Provenzano The old joke among environmentalists is that developers bulldoze the trees and then name the streets after them. But today’s leaders in developing planned communities are well aware of the value of green planning, sustainability and green marketing. For those who aren’t, here is a primer: Trees are not only a major indicator species of a healthy community, dollar for dollar, there is no better investment in the local environment. Neither controversial nor political, trees bring a winwin to homeowners and businesses alike. And here is a bonus: The return on a developer’s investment is as good as gold. Talk about “green!?!” When it comes to the bottom line, thinking green is the value-added ace in every developer’s back pocket. Here are some practical reasons why: Reason No. 1: Trees boost real estate values. Trees can add up to 20 percent to property values, according to research from the University of Washington.1 Think curb appeal, curb appeal, curb ap- Help Yourself Include the “right tree in the right place” in urban-renewal plans. Include “smart trees” (strategically placed) in plans for schools. Learn more about community trees at www.TreeLink.org Help Your Community Share this article at city planning meetings. Include trees in residential home building plans. Ask authorities: does your community have a TreeBank? peal. Besides location, this is all about at- neighbors in neighborhoods. When peotracting new customers. ple are attracted to nature, they spend Subdivisions with trees command more time outdoors, according to Unihigher real-estate prices and they also at- versity of Illinois researcher Francis Kuo. tract people with deep pockets who care People linger and shop longer on treeabout landscapes and home towns. lined streets. In addition, apartments and If a picture is worth a thousands offices in wooded areas rent more words, then satellite photos speak volumes. When recent satellite snaps are compared to those of 20 years ago, the difference is striking in city after city, often clearly showing the difference Bill Rutherford, urban forester for Salt Lake City. between wealthy and poor neighborhoods. In fact, after seeing side- quickly and have higher occupancy by-side satellite photos of our nation’s rates. And trees can actually extend the life capital, one woman contributed $50 million to renew the urban forest of Wash- of streets, according to the Center for Urban Forest Research. The asphalt ington, D.C.2 Reason No. 2: Trees boost urban re- paving on streets contain stone aggrevitalization. Is your company going gate in an oil binder. Without tree shade, after community improvement con- the oil heats up and volatizes, leaving the tracts? Urban revival is happening na- aggregate unprotected.4 tionwide, so if you want work in this Urban forests are also efficient sector, turn your tool kit green. “No stormwater management systems that urban renewal program is complete can slow runoff and help cities reduce inwithout an urban forest component,” frastructure and water treatment costs. says Janette Monear, executive director Reason No. 3: Trees help schools in five significant ways: of the Texas Trees Foundation. I Strategically planted shade trees Nowadays the terms “green” and “sustainable” pop up everywhere you significantly lower cooling costs. The net look. It seems that both monikers are cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is open to a broad spectrum of interpreta- equivalent to ten room-size air condition. There is green building and sus- tioners operating 20 hours a day, accordtainable living; green urban planning ing to the U.S. Department of and sustainable communities; green Agriculture. I Playgrounds with trees inspire outmarketing and sustainable design; the door exercise. Access to trees and green list goes on and on. “The great irony is that so few of these spaces promotes greater physical activgreen efforts contain an element that is ity, reduces stress, and reduces asthma actually the color green,” says business risks. I Tree canopy protects children from consultant Steve Klass of Klass skin-damaging ultraviolet rays. Strategies. I Leaves absorb the invisible fine parSo put this in your pitch: Studies show lower crime rates in communities ticulates that can damage the lungs of with trees.3 That’s right; trees put the children. “” “People need trees, and trees need people,” 36 July/August 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today http://www.TreeLink.org
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 Contents Our Voice Editorial Board SLDT Resources The Bottomline Tax Incentives for Green Buildings Collision of Brown & Green It’s Not How Dense You Make It, It’s How You Make It Dense Waterfront Resurrection: Worst of the Worst to the Best of the Best SLDI in Focus New Workshop Announcement Speakers' Bureau New Preferred Providers Bookstore Geotechnical Geosynthetics Site Amenities Surveying and Mapping Build Smart Advertiser Index Industry News Marketplace Products/Services Showcase The Last Word Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 (Page 1) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 (Page 2) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 (Page 3) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Our Voice (Page 6) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Our Voice (Page 7) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - SLDT Resources (Page 8) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - SLDT Resources (Page 9) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - The Bottomline (Page 10) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - The Bottomline (Page 11) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Tax Incentives for Green Buildings (Page 12) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Tax Incentives for Green Buildings (Page 13) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Tax Incentives for Green Buildings (Page 14) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Tax Incentives for Green Buildings (Page 15) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Collision of Brown & Green (Page 16) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Collision of Brown & Green (Page 17) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - It’s Not How Dense You Make It, It’s How You Make It Dense (Page 18) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - It’s Not How Dense You Make It, It’s How You Make It Dense (Page 19) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - It’s Not How Dense You Make It, It’s How You Make It Dense (Page 20) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - It’s Not How Dense You Make It, It’s How You Make It Dense (Page 21) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Waterfront Resurrection: Worst of the Worst to the Best of the Best (Page 22) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Waterfront Resurrection: Worst of the Worst to the Best of the Best (Page 23) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Waterfront Resurrection: Worst of the Worst to the Best of the Best (Page 24) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Waterfront Resurrection: Worst of the Worst to the Best of the Best (Page 25) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - New Workshop Announcement (Page 26) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Speakers' Bureau (Page 27) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - New Preferred Providers (Page 28) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Bookstore (Page 29) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geotechnical (Page 30) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geotechnical (Page 31) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geotechnical (Page 32) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geotechnical (Page 33) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geosynthetics (Page 34) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Geosynthetics (Page 35) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Site Amenities (Page 36) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Site Amenities (Page 37) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Surveying and Mapping (Page 38) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Surveying and Mapping (Page 39) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Build Smart (Page 40) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Build Smart (Page 41) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Industry News (Page 42) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Products/Services Showcase (Page 43) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Products/Services Showcase (Page 44) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - Products/Services Showcase (Page 45) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - The Last Word (Page 46) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - The Last Word (Page 47) Sustainable Land Development Today - July/August 2008 - The Last Word (Page 48)
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