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Money Does Grow on Trees! <br />Investing in Ramsey's Streetside Urban Forest <br />Breathing <br />Cleaner <br />Air <br />Air Quality <br />Trees in urban areas significantly affect local and regional air quality. It is commonly known that <br />trees release oxygen and capture carbon dioxide, but the impact of trees on urban air quality is <br />broad and complex. Trees alter the urban atmosphere and affect air quality in cities by reducing <br />temperatures, removing air pollutants, changing building energy use, and releasing volatile <br />organic compounds. Using a tree inventory, city officials can improve the air quality within their <br />cities and build healthier communities by planting tree species that reduce the formation of <br />smog. <br />Temperature Reduction City Street with Poor Air Quality <br />Air temperature decreases when <br />trees transpire and water vapor <br />from their leaves is released into the <br />atmosphere. By reducing air <br />temperatures, trees provide cooler <br />summer months. The distribution of <br />trees also affects temperature, which is <br />why an informed and organized tree <br />planting plan not only contributes to a <br />healthy and well maintained <br />community forest, but to increased <br />wellbeing for Ramsey's residents. <br />Release of Volatile Organic <br />Compounds (VOCs) <br />Some tree species are better suited for <br />congested streets as they can reduce <br />the formation of smog. Although trees <br />give off chemicals called volatile organic <br />compounds (VOCs), tree species differ <br />in the amount of VOCs they emit. <br />Cities should plan ahead to plant lower <br />VOC-emitting trees along streets <br />with heavy traffic. <br />Removing Air Pollutants <br />Trees remove air pollution by <br />intercepting and absorbing airborne <br />particles. The larger tree canopy <br />cover a city has, the greater total <br />pollution removal. <br />Changing Building Energy Use <br />Trees change building energy use by <br />providing shade during the summer and <br />blocking winds during the winter. As a <br />building's energy use decreases, so <br />do the pollutants being emitted. <br />Improper tree placement can lead <br />to higher utility bills, so Urban <br />Forest Management allows cities <br />to maximize a tree's energy <br />conservation benefits. <br />In the sunlight, VOCs mix with NOx (nitrogen oxides commonly produced by <br />vehicles and power plants) to produce ozone, the main ingredient in Smog. <br />Tree species with high VOC emissions <br />(Black Gum, Sycamore, Oak Trees etc.) <br />Trees produce VOCs <br />(Volatile Organic Compounds) <br />City Street with Good Air Quality <br />Vehicle exhaust <br />produces CO2 <br />To reduce the formation of smog, cities should plant lower VOC- <br />emitting trees along streets with heavy traffic. <br />Tree species with low VOC emissions <br />(Ginkgo, Catalpa Trees etc.) <br />VOCs <br />(Volatile Organic Compounds) <br />Vehicle exhaust <br />produces CO2 <br />Trees Make Clean Air <br />As the number of cars and industries in Ramsey grows, strategic tree planting initiatives could reduce carbon <br />emissions and prevent respiratory diseases. Planting trees with low VOC emissions in congested streets ensures <br />the amount of airborne chemicals in the atmosphere remains low. Likewise, an informed plan for tree <br />planting guarantees economic returns for the city and its residents by raising property values. <br />.0,rrom kd��tt�ss <br />Energy + <br />Property <br />Resilient Communitie <br />PA 5211 Land Use Planning • TEAM: Ada Moreno Gomez, Nick Kieser, Victoria Dan • INSTRUCTOR: Fernando Burga, Ph.D. uNt-ERST <br />n P, o-g, poad,,,a a ,ae=ud <br />odo_,_��.a ,�oa�� aaPo,.E«�3,;o.o=oageo�d�4�a„o,97 ea ���nod�o„r�,—.of„zuuru,bRane,ed„om <br />or,10.101,, po 0 3�. 9 <br />