The City of Ferguson has completed the first phase of a multiyear tree inventory. The inventory was made possible through the Missouri Department of Conservation TRIM Grant program.
The City of Ferguson has completed the first phase of a multiyear tree inventory. The inventory was made possible through the Missouri Department of Conservation TRIM Grant program. Some of the results of the inventory are as follows:
• The total approximate value Ferguson, Missouri's inventoried street tree population is $2.8 million.
• The trees of the inventoried areas account for annual savings of approximately $11,462 in energy consumption and $39,593 in stormwater retention for the City of Ferguson
• During the inventory, a total of 2,403 sites were inventoried; 1,589 trees, 34 stumps and 780 planting sites
• The inventory found 93 species; Maple comprised 22% of the inventoried tree population followed by Elm 17%; Oak 12%; Ash 5%;and Redbud 4%;
The tree inventory is an important planning tool that helps the City of Ferguson maintain a systematic program for tree care as well as aid in determining budget, staff, and equipment needs more accurately. The outcomes of the inventory are important, and implementation of the maintenance recommendations will enhance both public safety and the benefits trees provide to the community. Public trees, when properly maintained, return environmental, economic, and social benefits and add value to the community far in excess of the time and money invested in them for planting, pruning, protection, and removal. Some of the environmental benefits from trees include providing shade and acting as windbreaks, which decrease residential energy consumption; slowing and reducing the amount of stormwater that reaches storm drains, rivers, and lakes; reducing noise levels; cleansing atmospheric pollutants; producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide; stabilizing the soil by controlling wind and water erosion; and providing habitat for wildlife. Significant economic benefits of having well-managed, well-placed trees in a community include increased real estate values and having more attractive settings in which to locate commercial businesses. Their shade and beauty contribute to the overall quality of life in a community.