Trees are perhaps one of the most distinguishing features of the Bryker Woods neighborhood. Visitors frequently comment on the lush canopies overhanging our streets. See the Bryker Woods & Pemberton Heights Tree Canopy in 2008. The shade provided during the summer gives the neighborhood welcomed relief from the hot sun. Trees also provide a inner city haven for wildlife, especially birds. Screech owls can frequently be heard and even seen at dusk or early dawn while walking in the Bryker Woods neighborhood.

So why all the attention to neighborhood trees?

• Energy Conservation - Properly placed shade trees can reduce home energy consumption up to to 30%, by providing shade for roofs and walls.
• Air Pollution Reduction - Trees help clean the air by removing poisonous gases and particulates such as dust and pollen. Through photosynthesis, trees reduce atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and release vital oxygen. In addition, well-placed trees reduce the need to burn fossil fuels to generate energy for air conditioning.
• Water Quality and Conservation - Trees and other landscape plants help slow surface water runoff and reduce soil erosion. The soil adsorbs more rainwater; consequently, less water is needed on your landscape. With overall temperature reduced by shading, plants and turf require less water.
• Wildlife Habitat - Trees provide food, nesting sites and protection to a wide variety of birds and animals.
• Environmental Improvement - Trees contribute to community pride, instill feelings of relaxation and tranquility, and add natural character and beauty through a variety of forms, colors and textures.
• Personal Statement - Planting a tree can be an act of peace that says you care about our environment and our future. What better way to either honor a friend or loved one or commemorate a birth or marriage than to plant a tree.
• Property Value - Trees help to stabilize your neighborhood and can add 13 to 21% to the value of a typical Austin home.
  
  * above list taken from TreeFolks (http://www.treefolks.org)
  

Threats to our Neighborhood Trees

	Over 600 years old with a spread at one time of 127 feet, the Treaty Oak stands in majestic beauty on its site downtown in the 500 block of Baylor street.

Although trees seem to be a permanent fixture of our neighborhood, trees are living organisms that need occasional attention and protection. When young, trees need to be watered regularly until the root system becomes established (especially during the first several summer months). And when older, trees need appropriate pruning so the the tree is provided optimal health. Oak wilt is an ailment that should be watched for as live oak trees mature. Learn more about oak wilt at the city’s Oakwilt website. Trees can also be threatened if trenching for irrigation systems is done in an insensitive manner! Request that the team installing your irrigation system be conscientious of tree root systems.

Perhaps the greatest threat to our neighborhood trees is development. While sometimes is is necessary to remove a tree to add an additional bedroom or bath, the scraping of a lot for construction of a “MacMansion” is frowned upon by all residents. Developers are advised to note city regulations for the removal of trees! The city of Austin does require a permit for protected trees (defined as a tree with a circumference of 60 inches or more, measured at 4 1/2 feet above the natural grade).

To learn more about what you can do to protect, preserve and foster trees within the Bryker Woods neighborhood, download the TreeFolks planting guide [184k PDF] and visit the websites below. Trees are a tremendous asset to our quality of life. Far to frequently are trees taken for granted. And only when they are gone, are they truly appreciated for their grandeur. The majestic cottonwoods at Deep Eddy will never be forgotten.

As with any living organism, trees have a finite life span. Sometimes their removal is required for reasons of safety. However should an old tree occupy your residential lot, consider what actions you can take to maintain such a wonderful asset. And consider planting new trees too. Future generations will benefit from the trees we plant today. This way the lush canopies will continue to overhang our neighborhood streets and provide BrykerWoods shaded relief from the hot Texas summers.

Web resources for protecting, preserving and fostering neighborhood trees:

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greengarden
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greenbuilder
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/oakwilt
http://www.treefolks.org
http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/urban/default.asp

Tree Preservation Makes "Cents"
By Dennis Brown, City of Austin Green Builder Program

It makes perfect sense! Everyone wants a lot with lovely trees to surround and protect their dream home. It also makes perfect "cents," as studies have shown that trees can contribute as much 15-20% of the value of a home or a building. Developers and builders have long known this. That is why you pay a premium price for a home or lot with trees.

Trees are valuable to us in several ways. Perhaps their greatest initial influence is on our emotions and sense of aesthetics. The trees that we have today are descendants of the largest and oldest living organisms on this planet. Many of them have been around for ages themselves, and people feel a great reverence and affinity for trees. But practically speaking, trees clean our air, protect us and our houses from the blazing sun and howling winds, soften the impact of rain and reduce the amount of run-off into our creeks and rivers.

A recent study determined the value of Austin's urban forest. The study focused on three areas of environmental impact: air quality, stormwater run-off mitigation, and direct energy savings as the result of the shade. According to the study, Austin trees contribute $133,600,000 dollars annually in real benefits.
All of this makes you wonder why tree preservation isn't a big business. The real problem is that people don't understand that trees are biological organisms trying to eke out a way in this world like the rest of us. They have certain needs and requirements that must be met in order to continue to grow, just as we do. And when these requirements aren't met, they suffer.

Most people in the Austin area have heard of the devastating tree disease oak wilt. It kills hundreds of oak trees in the Central Texas area each year. Few people know, however, that 10 times more trees are killed by abuses during the construction process.

Cutting roots, hitting trees with equipment, piling dirt on top of the natural grade, cutting off too much foliage, changing drainage patterns, driving over (and thus compacting soil around) the root zone of a tree can all be injurious to trees. Unfortunately, these abuses are common on construction sites throughout Austin‹ both commercial and residential.

There is no magic formula for tree protection. Protecting trees during construction is all about knowledge and planning. Here are just some of the factors that need to be considered.

• What is the species of each tree?
• What is the condition of each tree?
• What changes will have to be made to the site to accommodate the planned construction?
• What impacts will the various activities have on the trees? (Laying the foundation, landscaping the grounds, storing materials)
• Where will utilities have to be routed to structures?
• How can you protect the greatest extent of the root zone of the trees and still build near them?

One these questions are addressed and a plan devised, it must be enforced. Many people seem to believe that the orange colored fencing used on some construction sites has mystical power to protect trees. While fencing of this type can be very useful to delineate protected areas (if properly placed) they are easy to breech. When they are run over or moved to accommodate activities on the site, the result is loss of control of the site and poor tree protection.

There has to be a commitment to preserve trees during construction; by homeowners to make sure the trees they value are protected, and by builders and developers to build thoughtfully with regard to trees. Calling an arborist to be involved in the planning and construction process is a great place to start. An arborist can work with your builder to plan and implement a tree protection program, including calculating the value of your trees. It only makes "cents" to invite someone who knows about trees and can best protect your investment to be a part of your team.

Dennis Brown, is an Arborist, and owner of Urban Forestry Resources, an arboricultural consulting practice dedicated to managing tree health, safety, and value. For more information on protecting trees during construction, call (512) 263-2798

The City of Austin Green Builder Program (http://www.greenbuilder.com) is a voluntary home-rating system that encourages environmentally-sound home building, remodeling, and home maintenance. For more information, call 499-7827.

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