New App Leads To Increase In Concern About Trees
The online app, TreeTalk, has found a 50-fold increase in users since the start of lockdown in March 2020 – it is used to plot, map, and highlight the mature trees that are located within the London area. This increase in awareness has led to more requests for preservation than ever, and more outrage when trees are removed. Have you got a concern about trees?
Tree Benefits:
Trees on our streets have a variety of benefits, including:
- Supporting local wildlife.
- Reducing urban flooding by controlling the water level in the area.
- Reducing temperatures in heatwaves (by providing shade).
- Lowering issues associated with asthma (as the leaves trap pollution).
- Improving mental health and wellbeing. Numerous studies have shown that spending time around trees or looking at trees can reduce blood pressure as well as slowing the release of the stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline.
- Reducing crime. According to studies, a 10% increase in mature trees led to a 12% decrease in crime. It is suggested that this is due to the fact that an area with more mature trees signals to criminals that the houses are better cared for and therefore subject to more effective policing by owners.
Trees are felled by councils and private companies every day for a variety of reasons. This can be for property development, preserving infrastructure (e.g., tree roots can affect roadways) or in response to concerns regarding health and safety.
Tree surveys will provide you with a detailed analysis of each tree surveyed, including the trees age, condition, and any risk it poses to development or to the public. If you do need to request that a tree is taken down, you will need to be aware that a mature tree will provide the benefits listed above. However, a sapling will often lack the height, foliage, or size to have as significant an impact. We would always recommend consulting with your local authority regarding any felling proposals and ensuring that a suitable replacement tree (of an appropriate size) is replanted at the same or a nearby location.
Contact Us If You Have A Concern About Trees
If you require a tree survey, as part of your development or to submit to your local authority, ProHort can help you. We can also recommend suitable trees to plant as replacements, to ensure your community continues to feel the benefits that trees can reward.
