Friday, March 31, 2006
Md.: City plans for greener future
From the Baltimore Sun
City plans for greener future
Goal is to double tree canopy in 30 years, improving environment, property values
By Joe Palazzolo
Sun reporter
March 30, 2006
The image of the big city is typically of a hard, gray and unforgiving landscape. But that soon might change.
Concrete is out. The urban forest is in.
Baltimore parks and planning officials are to announce plans today to make Baltimore's appearance softer, greener and more pleasant by doubling the city's tree canopy - the total area covered by leaves - in the next 30 years.
More trees are almost always good, everything else being equal. BUT - at least here in Maryland (and probably elsewhere, too), keeping trees maintained in an urban environment is expensive, and it is not clear to me how Baltimore would fund thousands of new street trees in the city.
Such trees, if they are to survive and be attractive and healthy, need to be inspected, pruned, fertilized and sometimes treated for disease. All of this costs money, and Baltimore City's finances are not the best.
City plans for greener future
Goal is to double tree canopy in 30 years, improving environment, property values
By Joe Palazzolo
Sun reporter
March 30, 2006
The image of the big city is typically of a hard, gray and unforgiving landscape. But that soon might change.
Concrete is out. The urban forest is in.
Baltimore parks and planning officials are to announce plans today to make Baltimore's appearance softer, greener and more pleasant by doubling the city's tree canopy - the total area covered by leaves - in the next 30 years.
More trees are almost always good, everything else being equal. BUT - at least here in Maryland (and probably elsewhere, too), keeping trees maintained in an urban environment is expensive, and it is not clear to me how Baltimore would fund thousands of new street trees in the city.
Such trees, if they are to survive and be attractive and healthy, need to be inspected, pruned, fertilized and sometimes treated for disease. All of this costs money, and Baltimore City's finances are not the best.
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