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, UIIThNFOIIESTS AVERAGE TREE LIFE number of trees removed, Species Commonly Grown in Communities similar data, and deter - the average lifespan of mined the average of a trees, the number of city tree (in all areas) to potential street -tree plant- 150 be 32 years. ing spaces filled, and the budgetary conditions of 160 of all of the each city's tree -care 140 ' survey's find- - - department. Program 120 ings are grim budgets, staffing, and y - news. There are management information a 100 60 provide a P great deal 80 a few glimmers can eat of hope. For one, orga- c ' of data about a tree care m 37 " • nized citizen tree plant - program. For example, Q 60 ing is on the increase. i ! we have found a direct 40 13 Every city surveyed had correlation between the at least one local citizen lifespan of urban trees 20 organization solidly and the health of the 0 involved in planting and Downtown Residential Best City Site Rural Site management programs. caring for trees. In a In cities with a trained Average Life of Street Trees couple of cities, includ- professional urban ing Boston, the tree- . . forestry staff that has been on the job 1991 those cities planted only about 27 management programs showed for a couple of decades or so, and that percent of the number of trees improvement since the last survey, have an established management and required to merely maintain the exist- which means they are moving in the ■ care program, street trees live twice as ing tree population. right direction, even though much long as those in cities lacking these Most cities are removing more more momentum is needed. necessities. trees than they are planting, and the On the national front, campaigns removal of dead trees is backlogged like AFAs Global ReLeaf and President n the future we hope to find a way in 80 percent of the communities. Bush's America The Beautiful effort to gather information on all of a Leaving dead and dying trees on the have generated widespread public city's trees, including those in streets increases the hazards posed to support for trees. The U.S. Congress parks, yards, and other open city residents. All of the cities in the has placed a special focus on trees in spaces. But for now, trees along survey had damage claims pending new legislation, and business and the transportation corridors provide as a result of trees or their parts industry have shown they are willing the best information. The ground they falling on property. Damage claims to support citizen groups in tree plant- grow on is called the public right of can cost any city dearly. Compound- ing and care. Unfortunately, local way, and it is used by many public ing the bad situation is the fact that governments are not making good use agencies. The health of the trees there 75 percent of the cities did not have of these innovative efforts, and the is directly related to the changing the ability to routinely survey the results are shown dramatically in the conditions. For example, if the trans- condition of their trees, so they lack 20 -city survey. portation department replaces a curb the information needed to prevent Who are the real losers? Here's the or sidewalk, it is very likely to cut tree future problems. way Neil Sampson, executive vice roots and change the soil conditions, .president of the American Forestry often for the worse. So if a community rees growing in optimal condi- Association, put it: "These budget cuts wants its trees to survive, it needs tions are the oldest living that are now killing tree programs are urban forest managers who can work things on earth. But for street killing trees as well; but the real losers on an equal footing with the managers trees in the cities surveyed, the are city residents who will breathe of the rest of the city's infrastructure. average ripe old age in down- more polluted air, find their overly hot In the 20 cities surveyed last year, 56 town areas is 13 years; in residential cities become even hotter, and who percent of the potential planting areas it's 37 years. Our earlier 20 -city will pay more to cool their homes and spaces were found to be vacant. In survey, completed in 1987, showed businesses." AF 64 AMERICAN FORESTS MARCH/APRIL 1992