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Under the Canopy: Tree Cover in Austin, Texas
We recently came across an interesting story and report (check here for more details). It was about how much of Austin is covered with trees if you were to look at it from above. According to the report, the current amount (from 2022) is 41%. although the cover isn’t even over the city. This is up from the last four years. There is a goal to have the number at 50% or more.
We all know trees have a number of benefits. They provide shade, shelter and food for wildlife, reduce erosion, and more. Knowing this, and learning about the tree cover report, got us thinking about things people could do to increase tree cover in their communities. We thought of a few ideas we’d like to share.
Take Care of Your Trees
When trying to increase tree cover, a great first step is to take care of the trees you already have. By promoting healthy trees, you can help them grow and improve the tree cover in your community. Some steps you can take to have healthy trees include having them trimmed and pruned properly, having fertilizer applied as needed, mulching properly, taking care of them in the winter, and having an arborist inspect your trees on a regular basis. These simple steps can help your trees to have better health and that can help increase tree cover.
Don’t Remove Trees Unnecessarily
Sometimes it’s necessary to remove a tree. A tree might be dead or dying. It could have an infection that can’t be cured. It might need to be removed because of construction. There are a lot of reasons why removing a tree could be necessary.
Sometimes though trees don’t have to be removed. A tree that isn’t doing well could have its condition improved under the guidance of an arborist. Also, in some situations, trimming a tree might help you meet the same objectives as removing one, without having to remove it. In other cases, things around trees can be changed so the trees can be preserved.
Although there are a lot of cases when a tree needs to be removed, there are also sometimes other solutions. An arborist can evaluate your situation and can help you figure out what options you might have.
Plant More Trees
Planting more trees can of course be a direct way to increase tree cover. When you plant more trees, all else being equal, tree cover goes up. If you are considering planting trees in your landscape make sure you plant the right trees, in the right places, at the right time of year, and in the right way. Tree planting is something an arborist can definitely help with. They can help you pick out trees and can outline how and where they should be planted.
In addition to planting trees in your own landscape there are also periodic tree planting events with a number of organizations. Check social media for different groups that might be hosting tree plantings in your community. It can be a great way to increase tree cover, get involved, and meet new people.
The recent report about tree cover in Austin, Texas got us thinking about a number of things. We all know tree cover is important and taking steps to increase it doesn’t have to be difficult. By taking care of the trees we have, not removing trees we don’t have to, and planting more trees, we can do our part to increase the tree cover in our communities.
If you’d like to find out how you can increase the tree cover on your property, and are in the Austin area, contact us at (512) 546-3833 or email us at frontdesk@arbortrue.com to schedule an appointment with an arborist. They can help you determine what might be right for your situation.
If you found learning about tree cover in Austin, Texas interesting, be sure and check out our other TrueTreeTalk blog posts. Follow us on Facebook to keep up with these and other posts.
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ArborTrue is a science-based tree-service company. We provide a range of services including tree trimming, tree pruning, tree removal, tree planting, arborist consultations, and more. Reach out to us online to schedule an appointment.
