Tree Commission's work 'vital' to town

Letter to Editor - Loudoun Times Mirror


A tree canopy may not sound sexy, but it is vital to the future of our town. It is so essential that the Town of Leesburg has created a Tree Commission and hired an Urban Forester. We need to increase the tree canopy in Leesburg for many vital reasons. The first reason that might be important to most people is that it can increase the value of their house by 5-15%, according to the Chesapeake Tree Canopy Network. In the same article, an entire street lined with trees can increase the value of homes by 25%. By planting trees around your house, energy consumption can be reduced in the summer by 20-50%, and a tree windbreak can reduce heating costs by 10-15% in the winter, according to canopy.org.

Trees are essential today because they capture carbon from burning fossil fuels. It is crucial to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and help cool the planet. Trees also capture pollutants that are harmful to animals and humans. A higher tree canopy means more pollutants are not running off into the Chesapeake Bay. Keeping pollutants out of the Chesapeake Bay is vital to ensure fish and plants do not continue to be harmed by human runoff.

According to Cheseapeake.net, Leesburg has 27% of our tree canopy with a goal of 40%. A report on the Town of Leesburg’s Urban Forestry page states that the information is from 2007, so I guess the 27% is lower today with all the growth the town has experienced in 15 years. If we are, in fact, lower than the 27%, we have some catching up to do.

The Town of Leesburg should invest resources to ensure we meet the 40% target by 2030. A strong tree canopy is essential for all citizens living in the town. We can reduce our energy consumption, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and invest in the future of our planet.

Todd Cimino-Johnson