Our Urban Forest: Beauty with Benefits

I had a special relationship with the giant sycamore tree in my front yard growing up. I would climb into the upper branches, reveling in how different everything on the ground looked from my perch high in the air. Or I’d spend hours in the nearly perfect seat formed where the main trunk split into two, reading a book or studying the spotted bark and pointed leaves. Do you have a similar story? As we get older, we don't often stop to think about the trees that populate our neighborhoods, parks and open spaces. We all know trees are important. They beautify our city, they keep us cool, they give us clean air to breathe. How can we keep our trees happy and healthy? 

On June 2nd, Climate Smart Missoula’s monthly meetup was all about trees. We were joined by Karen Sippy from the citizen advocacy group Trees for Missoula, Chris Carlson from the City of Missoula Parks and Recreation Dept, Juliet Slutzger from the National Wildlife Federation, and curious community members.  

Here’s what we learned:

• Our urban forest provides over $5 million in ecosystem services per year – our trees help mitigate and adapt to climate change by cleaning our air, storing carbon, reducing stormwater runoff, and reducing the urban heat island effect. As our summers get hotter, the shade trees provide is especially valuable!
• Continuing to enjoy these benefits requires a community effort! The staff of the Parks and Recreation Urban Forestry division work hard to care for our trees, but there are over 30,000 urban trees in Missoula! We can all do our part.

• We are in a period of transition in our urban forest. Many of our trees are getting older, and while there’s a lot we can do to continue to care for them, it’s time to start thinking about the next generation of trees. The good news is that we are much wiser today about what species do well in our climate and how to maintain our trees so they continue to be healthy and resilient for many years.
• Some neighborhoods are greener than others: according to the city’s recent tree canopy assessment, the Westside has only 6% tree cover, whereas the Lower Rattlesnake has 24%. Check out how your neighborhood stacks up on the map to the right.

Wondering what you can do to help keep our urban forest in tip top shape?

• ​Water your trees! The species of trees in our urban forests (mainly maples and ash) generally need between 20 and 24 inches of precipitation during their growing season – snow doesn’t count, because these trees don’t take up moisture while they’re dormant in the winter. In the Missoula valley, we get about 14 inches total precipitation per year; lately it has been even less than that. The bottom line: we need to water our trees! Check out some tips for watering trees here. Worried about conserving water? Let your lawn go unwatered (or better yet, replace it with water-wise native plants) and keep the sprinkler on your trees instead.
• Plant new trees! If you’re a homeowner, think about planting trees and shrubs on your property where they will shade your house and air conditioner (shading your home can cut energy bills by a third or more!).  Think south and west sides of your home or business. Trees for Missoula can help you figure out what trees to choose and where and how to plant them, and the Urban Forestry division has a great guide to street trees and their care. Your school, organization, or neighborhood can apply for free trees through the National Wildlife Federation’s Trees For Wildlife program which supports wildlife habitat. Humans aren’t the only ones who benefit from trees and shrubs– they help many different species to thrive, from birds to butterflies!  
  

​As we experience hotter, drier summers, caring for our trees and growing more shade will be increasingly important. Check out our Summer Smart program and our Urban and Wildland Forests bucket to learn more!