By CHRISTIE BROUGH and JACQUIN MILHOUSE

Population growth and development have severely diminished the number of trees in Davidson in recent years. The town has lost 43% of its tree cover since 1984. At the same time, there has been a 371 percent increase in impervious spaces (streets, buildings, parking lots, etc.), according to the Central Piedmont Green Initiative.

Now, Davidson officials are preparing to undertake the town’s first tree canopy inventory, to help them better understand what’s here now so they can devise new rules and strategies to counteract the effects of growth. Eventually, planners and elected officials would like to revise the town ordinance with more specific language aimed at protecting existing trees and promoting new planting.

“I am really excited about this, because we cannot make informed decisions about the quality of open space without knowing what we have,” Town Board member Margo Williams said. “Also, within the town, it will help us protect our canopy because we will emerge from the process with a new, tighter tree ordinance.”

Lauren Blackburn, one of Davidson’s town planners, said, “A tree canopy inventory for Davidson will give [elected officials and] town staff the technical background necessary to develop informed ordinances regarding tree preservation and regulation.”

GRAPHIC shows how trees (in green) have disappeared while impervious surfaces (gray) have expanded in Davidson between 1984 and 2003. SOURCE: American Forests.

The Green Initiative cited above was developed by American Forests, a non-profit conservation organization. The initiative analyzed the changing land cover in Mecklenburg County over a 17-year period. But the images compiled and studied lack the detail necessary to offer a town like Davidson any solutions. That’s why the town is planning its own study.

Experts said towns need to study the issue. “With such considerable losses, towns should insist on open space planning in order to protect the tree canopy,” said Rick Roti, Chairman of the Charlotte Public Tree Fund, Inc.

WHY ARE TREES BENEFICIAL?

Besides adding beauty to their surroundings, trees improve our health, environment, and economy.

For example, “Trees reduce air pollution by absorbing gaseous chemicals emitted from cars,” said Pat Peroni, Davidson College professor of biology.

Without trees, the town of Davidson could lose millions of dollars in developing infrastructures to handle the effects of tree loss. In addition, the reported land cover change would cost the town an extra $167,000 to reduce the air pollution that trees can perform naturally.

In order to collect the detailed information, specialists (e.g. arborists and Geographic Information Systems [GIS] analysts) must be brought in. Davidson has applied for a $15,000 Urban and Community Forestry Grant to pay for the study, and town officials plan to match the grant. The money will go toward a “Tree Inventory and Canopy Master Plan.” This plan seeks to catalog the history and develop methods to preserve the tree canopy.

NEW RULES TO COME

Ultimately, town officials plan to revise current tree related legislation and establish new local ordinances. Davidson’s current policies consist of topics such as requirements for street landscaping and procedures for tree removal on non-residential properties.

The development of local tree ordinances has been long and arduous. Although some policies are in place, Davidson has only established a few tree preservation regulations.

Ms. Blackburn said that “Davidson needs to set more standards for the number of trees that must be saved on a [development] site.”

Mayor Randy Kincaid said the tree canopy study will be the first step in a long process. “Although Davidson has a lot of hard work ahead, we are excited by the prospect of the tree canopy study. I believe the findings will benefit Davidson for years to come,” Mayor Kincaid said.

IF THEY CAN DO IT, WE CAN DO IT

Many communities across the U.S. have already initiated plans for green success. Sacramento, Calif., for example, plans to double its tree canopy within the next 40 years.

The Sacramento plan uses the same GIS analysis system that Davidson plans to introduce. After interpreting their GIS data with the aid of consultants and arborists, the city successfully developed policies and ordinances that regulate the condition of community trees.

Sacramento has gathered the support of many different agencies and has undertaken the task of protecting their tree canopy as a community. According to the Sacramento Tree Foundation, “Cities and counties that create partnerships with their community members and businesses are more likely to succeed in their urban forest plans and programs.”

Sacramento’s efforts demonstrate that preserving a town’s tree canopy is both feasible and beneficial. In order to implement any changes in policy regarding Davidson’s shrinking tree canopy, the town will need community support.

Christie Brough and Jacquin Milhouse researched and wrote this article for Shireen Campbell’s “Writing for the Community” course in the 2007 spring semester at Davidson College.

WORKS CITED

American Forests. “Urban Ecosystem Analysis Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.”

American Forests Report. (March 2003).

Blackburn, Lauren. Personal Interview. 23 March 2007.

Peroni, Pat. Personal Interview. 2 April 2007.

Roti, Rick. “Carolina Piedmont Green Initiative.” Power Point Presentation. Town Hall,
Davidson, NC. 27 November 2006.

Roti, Rick. Personal Interview. 5 April 2007.

Sacramento Tree Foundation. “Greenprint: A Regional Urban Forest Initiative.”

Sacramento Tree Foundation. PowerPoint presentation. June 2005. (20 March 2007).