Trees can save money, eat pollutants

Since 1993, Bellevue has been gathering data related to the benefit of tree cover in the city.

Beyond their aesthetic value, trees reduce air pollution, mitigate the damaging effects of storm runoff on salmon-bearing streams and decrease the frequency of road repairs, said Dan DeWald, Bellevue’s natural resource manager.

If you want to save the pavement, plant a tree.

"You can extend the life of your asphalt if there are shade trees along the street," he said.

In the past decade, Bellevue has planted 100,000 trees.

According to the Center for Urban Forest Research:

  • One large tree reduces storm water runoff by 4,000 gallons a year. A typical urban forest of 10,000 trees will retain approximately 10 million gallons of rain water a year.

  • Trees improve air quality by removing nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone — pollutants associated with industry and vehicles.

  • From 1972 to 1996, the Puget Sound area lost 37 percent of its tree cover. The lost tree cover would have removed about 35 million pounds of pollutants each year, at an estimated value of $95 million.

    For more information about Everett’s tree program, call Roy Harris, Everett’s street tree planting administrator, at 425-257-8800.

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