Trees in the News
Understanding And Valuing Benicia’s Urban Forest
Before the gold rush in 1850, Benicia’s hills and flats made for a rather barren landscape. In 1855, humorist George H. Derby, an army Lieutenant, is reported to have liked the people of Benicia, but not the place, as it was not yet paradise due to the lack of trees. The dearth of trees is […]
Do Urban ‘Heat Islands’ Hint at Trees of Future?
City streets can be mean, but somewhere near Brooklyn, a tree grows far better than its country cousins, due to chronically elevated city heat levels, says a new study. The study, just published in the journal Tree Physiology, shows that common native red oak seedlings grow as much as eight times faster in New York’s […]
Why Trees Matter
TREES are on the front lines of our changing climate. And when the oldest trees in the world suddenly start dying, it’s time to pay attention. North America’s ancient alpine bristlecone forests are falling victim to a voracious beetle and an Asian fungus. In Texas, a prolonged drought killed more than five million urban shade […]
The High Cost of Losing Urban Trees
Every tree in urban Tennessee provides an estimated $2.25 worth of measurable economic benefits every year. Might not seem like a lot, but with 284 million urban trees in the state, the payoff’s pretty big. Through energy savings, air and water filtering and carbon storage, the urban trees of Tennessee account for more than $638 […]
Trees Take Center Stage
Benicia Arbor Week includes Tree City ceremony, study of inventory, master plan By Donna Beth Weilenman, Staff Reporter for the Benicia Herald In events that begin Tuesday with looks at the city’s tree inventory and its tree master plan, residents and officials alike will celebrate trees during Benicia Arbor Week. Activities this week include posting a […]
PROCLAMATION IN RECOGNITION OF THE OBSERVANCE OF BENICIA ARBOR DAY ON OCTOBER 15, 2011 AND A TREE CITY USA QUALIFICATION EVENT ON OCTOBER 15, 2011
WHEREAS, in 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees; and WHEREAS, the holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska; and WHEREAS, Arbor Day is now observed at various […]
On Benicia’s solar array and city trees
NO TREE LOVER likes to see trees cut down. Unfortunately, in many urban environments, trees often become subjects of controversy in contested spaces, both public and private. Trees in cities are often at risk of removal, or damage from the vicissitudes of urban life. The mission of the Benicia Tree Foundation is to strengthen community […]
Shade: A weapon against skin cancer, childhood obesity
Shade does more than protect children’s skin. A growing number of advocates say it also may help kids stay more active. At a time when one-third of children are obese or overweight, a movement is growing to provide more shade at playgrounds, parks and pools, both to reduce future cancer risk and promote exercise, says Richard […]