How Community Involvement Helps Trees

Maintaining Nashville Trees

A city’s trees are some of its most valuable assets! They provide a range of fundamental ecosystem services, offset the downsides of the built environment, and add to the beauty of an area. Here, we’ll go over how and why individuals and groups make a big difference in the quality and sustainability of Nashville’s canopy, as well as some tips on getting involved in tree conservation efforts.

Why the Conservation of Trees in Nashville Is Important

Tree conservation is important for Nashville’s environment precisely because trees make up a large part of the environment itself. Big, mature trees produce more benefits than small, young ones due to their size and the amount of time they’re around. While it’s a one-time event to plant a tree, they take a long time to grow, and they require a certain amount of care, such as regular watering, pruning, and inspection for weakness, pests, and disease to keep them in the best condition for the longest amount of time. Since most trees in Nashville are on residential property, homeowners have an important effect on the presence and condition of trees across the city.

What Is the Benefit of Tree Planting to the Local Community?

Over the long term, healthy trees produce various conditioning effects, which both make an area comfortable to live in and provide the natural infrastructure for various ecological processes to occur:

• Providing shade and cooling effects

• Rain and stormwater management

• Air moisture contribution

• Air quality moderation

• Noise reduction

• Soil stabilization

• Wildlife habitat provision

• Mitigating the effects of climate change

• Mental health benefits

Check out our article on these nine benefits of saving trees to learn more about how each contributes to the quality of life of an area!

Identifying & Protecting Tree Species Unique to Nashville

When we plant trees native to the Nashville area, they thrive because they’re fit for the local climate. Native trees like oaks, elms, bald cypresses, and maples are some of the biggest and longest-lived species that host and provide food for a wide variety of local wildlife, including insects, caterpillars that become butterflies and moths, birds of all kinds, and mammals both big and small. These animals, in turn, contribute ecosystem services like pollination and maintaining the soil’s nutrition cycle, as well as insect population control by way of the food web.

On the other hand, invasive species of plants and unfit non-native trees disrupt the local ecosystem and can create hazardous conditions. The emerald ash borer, for example, has decimated American ash tree populations, while the Bradford pear tree not only crowds out native species of trees and doesn’t host as much wildlife but also becomes weaker as it grows, especially when planted in residential yards.

How Community Involvement Can Lead to Long-Term Sustainability

Knowing why trees are important and how to best care for them allows individual residents to best manage the trees under their responsibility, contributing to the wider health of the canopy system. This is sustainable because it spreads the work out across the city to those who are most immediate to any given tree. When we care for our trees attentively and regularly, creating positive routines and expectations, it becomes part of our family traditions and local culture. Then, tree conservation is just easier to do!

Benefits of Community Engagement in Tree Conservation Projects

When members of the local community are actively engaged in conserving trees, whether by maintaining the trees on their property or participating in community-wide tree conservation projects, the benefits compound, and we all enjoy the results.

Through experience, we learn about local trees, which helps us recognize when a tree is in good health and when it might need extra care or professional attention. Being informed about tree issues also allows us to share knowledge with others, remain aware of local concerns, and take appropriate action when the need arises. This might include maintaining our own trees, giving advice to friends, family, and neighbors, or engaging with organizations to support their tree-focused efforts.

Ways to Get Involved in Local Tree Preservation Efforts

In addition to caring for the trees in your yard and helping spread the word about tree issues, there are several ways you can get involved in local tree preservation efforts:

• Identifying organizations that align with your values: Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something! Finding the people who are doing work that you find meaningful and effective is motivating to contribute as you’re able.

• Volunteering: Those with the time and capability to actively support local organizations can make a big difference in their manpower capacity.

• Making donations: Most tree preservation efforts are led by non-profits, which often rely on grants, public funding, and private donations to fund their activities. 

Tips for Finding Volunteer Opportunities With Local Organizations

It’s pretty easy to identify volunteer opportunities with local organizations to support tree care around the city! 

• An internet search for groups that meet your interests allows you to review their websites and activities to be sure they align with your goals and values. 

• Asking around is another great way to connect! Friends, family, and neighbors may already be engaged with or have heard of activities that you don’t know about yet.

• Pay attention to local businesses and community events, since they often sponsor, partner with, and promote local conservation groups and their projects.

The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps welcomes volunteer help, and you can sign up here! Locals can also support us by purchasing and planting one or more reasonably priced trees through our tree sale. Stay connected to NTCC by signing up for our newsletter, and get regular updates on our activities, opportunities to participate, local tree news, and information on best care practices to maintain the trees under your responsibility!