Lexington Tree Protection Petition
Trees are one of the best defenses against the growing impacts of climate change.
Lexington is losing too many of its trees. We lose them primarily to development and neglect.
Lexington averages about 75 home tear downs and several new home subdivisions each year. Many builders clearcut these lots before building new homes. And many healthy large trees are being removed by homeowners who don’t have any construction underway.
Shade trees can take 100 years or more to mature and fill the canopy. Trees cut down now cannot be regrown during our children's lifetimes.
A group of Lexington residents has written a Statement of Concern with a petition to bring attention and action to this issue. See the statement and petition at:
www.lexingtontreestatement.org . Please sign the petition and share this information and link with others.
Summary of important benefits of trees:
Trees and other plants are a natural “carbon sink”. Trees and other plants use the energy of sunlight with the process of photosynthesis to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water (H2O) from the ground and convert them into wood (which stores the carbon in the trees -- carbon dioxide is reduced to carbohydrates) and oxygen which is released into the atmosphere. As long as a tree lives, that carbon stays within it and trees can live for decades or centuries.
Trees shade land and buildings in the summer and buffer against wind in winter which reduces heating / cooling energy use by 25 - 40 %. A tree canopy can provide a 15 - 20° F reduction on the hottest summer days.
Trees improve air quality through uptake of gaseous pollution.
Trees provide habitat for countless species of animals and plants.
Trees enhance property values.
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