Trees are the answer, but what are the questions?
And if trees are in question what are the
answers? Trees and forests are such an integral part of
our ecosystem, our natural resources, and our
experiences that the many stressors facing them
suggest a great need for our involvement.
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This year iConserve PA (DCNR’s citizen conservation awareness program) will provide ideas on how to help in four key ways: protecting trees and forests; planting trees; buying sustainable tree and forest products; and exploring and enjoying the forests. Through the iConservePA website, innovative programs, new publications, and a knowledgeable team of experts, DCNR hopes to build awareness around the many issues facing these resources and how their condition is related to water quality; climatic and environmental health; the availability of forest products; the integrity of habitat and wildlife; the opportunities for recreation; and our own health and welfare.
Protection is possibly the most important step to
address. Trees and forests play a crucial role in
maintaining our water supplies, acting as a natural filter
in the headwater areas of our state, and serving as
riparian buffers along many miles of our approximately
83,000 miles of waterway. Protecting them can help
ensure a clean and viable water supply for
Pennsylvania’s inhabitants and, in some cases, those of
neighboring states. iConserve PA is offering several tips
on how to get involved with forest protection and
restoration.
Trees and forests also play a major role in helping to combat climate change. Carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas and our large tracts of forest land are instrumental in mitigating climate change and storing carbon dioxide. Individuals can assist by properly caring for their own trees so that they can grow strong, live long, and perform these functions for many years.
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Invasive plants and pests are major threats to our trees
and forests and an ongoing struggle to combat. Become
familiar with invasives and, to keep them from taking
over our native plant populations, learn techniques for
their removal. Also learn to recognize invasive pests and
the ways they can be accidentally introduced to an
environment. One easy practice to avoid such
introductions is by not transporting firewood, which can
harbor invasive pests, like the emerald ash borer beetle.
Planting trees is another step in aiding the trees and
forests cause. Pennsylvania was at one time almost
completely covered with forests, but every day we lose
about 350 acres of forest lands and open spaces to
development. Planting trees not only helps to restore
fragmented habitat for wildlife, it has also been shown
to increase property values in neighborhoods and
decrease crime rates. In response to an alarming loss of
urban tree cover in Pennsylvania’s metropolitan areas,
DCNR and partners created a program called
TreeVitalize, with a goal to plant one million trees by
2012. After you plant your next tree, log on to
www.treevitalize.net and have it counted as one in
that million.
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