During the hottest days of summer, trees seem more important than ever. I struggle to find a shady parking spot wherever I go this time of year and have noticed how many areas do not have a tree canopy along sidewalks and parking lots. In my opinion, the value of even a tree is often overlooked.
From simply providing shade, to serving as home for so many species and playing a critical role in absorbing carbon from our atmosphere, we need to plant more trees to make up for those that are constantly being lost to development. Furthermore, increasing amounts of research are showing that natural climate solutions, such as rural and urban forests, have amazing potential to
slow climate change
.
Stay cool under the shade of a tree this August.
Sincerely,
William D. Kastning, AICP
Executive Director
P.S. Did you know that
15 billion trees
are lost from the earth each year! The number is staggering, but we continue to fight and thanks to your generosity we are able to preserve woodlands through the many properties that we preserve in Monmouth County.
