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STORMWATER SPONGES

Trees are STORMWATER SPONGES

Did you know that ONE large oak tree can prevent the runoff of 1,000 gallons of stormwater each year?

When we think of Stormwater Management and Stormwater Infrastructure, too often we think only about ditches and drains instead of greenspaces and TREES! Through the processes of Interception, Infiltration, and Evapo-transpiration, trees act not just as green infrastructure but essential infrastructure.

Water absorption under the canopy of a mature tree, for instance, can increase by as much as 800% relative to a typical lawn or bare soil! Additionally, vibrant tree canopies can reduce stormwater runoff by more than 10%, with an individual mature tree intercepting nearly 20,000 gallons of stormwater annually.

Healthy, mature trees matter most! So, the next time you see trees in your neighborhood or on a drive, remember that they are much More Than Paper.

Quantifying the benefits of urban forest systems as a component of the green infrastructure stormwater treatment network >

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Trees, literally, provide and clean the air we breathe.

Yes, everyone knows that trees remove carbon dioxide from the air (which is harmful to humans) and create oxygen (which we breathe to live)… but did you know that trees also scrub pollutants and toxins from the air for us?

5 mature trees (41″ DBH live oak sequestering 645 pounds of carbon annually) or 12 small trees (3-24″ DBH sequestering 850 pounds of carbon annually) can offset the average miles driven by “an average passenger car” (EPA) driving over 3,500 miles per year.

Just 1 mature live oak can store over 1000 pounds of carbon during it’s lifetime, about as much as a 12-foot alligator!

The average city street containing 24 trees removes roughly 120 pounds of pollutants from the air annually. That’s about the same at 4 sacks of crawfish!

Healthy Trees, Healthy Lives

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Trees can boost human health in surprisingly diverse ways.

If you’ve ever felt energized by a forest hike, or enjoyed the shade of leafy branches on a hot day, you’ve experienced some of the health benefits of trees. Learn how to boost your overall well-being by spending time in green spaces at Healthy Trees, Healthy Lives!

And check out the :30 PSA below:

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