Tree Program Aims For 'Cooler' County
The county tree planting program is expected to provide $2 million in environmental benefits over the next 30 years.
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County officials are hoping to reap the benefits of planting nearly 1,000 trees around the county as part of a program paid for by the federal government.
County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is expected Tuesday afternoon to talk about the "Cool Trees" program during an event at the North Point Library. The county planted 957 shade trees near government buildings.
More than 600 trees, about two-thirds of the total number the planted, were placed at 48 elementary, middle and high schools around the county, according to figures released to Patch.
The program, which plants native shade trees within 60 feet of the south and southwest sides of public buildings, cost $500,000. It was paid for with an Energy Efficiency Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a county news release.
The county used its computer mapping technology system to determine the best locations to plant the trees.
The county expects the trees will provide $2 million environmental benefits over the next 30 years including improved air and water quality and habitat. The trees are also expected to provide shade that reduced energy consumption and improve the aesthetics of the buildings where they are planted, according to the county news release.
kevin
12:35 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Where are they in reference to power lines? Just asking because many schools lines knocked out entire neighborhoods during Irene .
Beth McLaughlin
10:37 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
this was EXACTLY my thought when i read this peice
Tim
12:59 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
There's a "hot air" joke in here somewhere, but I'll leave it to one of the Kamenetz haters to fully flesh it out for us :)
Hugo Cabret
1:05 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Wow! What a bargain! Spend $500,000 on trees to "reap" $2 million over 30 years. That is a net of $50,000 per year of "benefit". The so-called grant from the D.O.E. is funded by federal tax revenue collected from the paychecks of all us working stiffs. This is more Big Government waste in the name of the environment. Green is the new Red.
Bart
1:14 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The benefit of trees in an environment goes much farther than dollars saved on utilities. They clean the air, cool their surroundings, prevent soil erosion, and are just, plain, nicer to look at than bare, sterile buildings and pavement.
Have you ever noticed the difference in the air in a forrest, ans opposed to the air on a city street?
I wish they'd replace the older trees in my neighborhood that have been removed by the county over the years.
Tim
1:34 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Stop making sense, Bart.
Bart
2:22 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Dang, Tim, I'm sorry. It just seemed the right thing to say at the time. Why is it that some people only see dollar signs when ANY topic is discussed?
I'll tell you what, lets just all think about the wonderful things that happen when we do it on the cheap, i.e., decide what needs to be done, using only cost, TODAY as the deciding factor.
Let's see. Outhouses. "Gettin' those inside terlets is mighty expensive." Cheap Chinese steel. "Heck, I'll be retired in 10 years, those buildings aren't likely to fall down until then". Garbage collection: "Ah, Maude, just throw it out the winder, them fellas down at city hall are talkin' CRAZY about trucks comin' out here to pick up the trash."
Trees? "Too damn expensive, I tell ya!"
Spring Heeled Jack
3:44 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Very very true! Open fields and paved lots cause massive runoffs = flooded sewers and drainage = over flowing streams and rivers = destruction of infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, homes, utilities, and straight up trash and debris).
Windriver
1:23 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Two point stand out.
1: The program cost $500,000 with $200,000 of that BORROWED from the Chinese.
2: It is not even close to the number of trees to replace the trees torn down by developers in the same county.
John Doe
1:34 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Forget those horrible trees...build more drug stores so we have medicine to take because we have no trees.
Tim
1:45 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Hey, it "creates jobs" riiiight???
Paul Amirault
1:45 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I wonder which is worse, them leper developers or automobile manufacturers with their exhaust gases? Guess we should worry about cows, smokers, etc. too. Ah, on second thought, what's there to worry about, we know there is no such thing as man made climate change.
Bart
2:25 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Remember, Paul, the fact that temperatures have risen so much in decades, rather than eons is only "conjecture". Somebody told me that!
Paul Amirault
2:36 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I read about it too. Received one of those forwarded emails, as we all know, which never lie.
Tim
3:02 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Just make sure you send me your bank account information so I can you your share of my soon to be wealth!
JD1
3:04 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Trying to do the math: $500,000/1000 trees = $500 per tree. Are you kidding me!!!!!!!
If the trees came from a local nursery that can't be more than $50 per tree. How much were we paying the "new Americans" to plant them?
Paul Amirault
3:10 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sorry JD1, as one that has bought many trees, the price is determined by the size of the tree you are planting, and $500 is right there for a reasonably sized tree. Larger trees tend to survive more easily as well. Most contracts also include a 1 year replacement warranty too.
Windriver
3:18 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I have paid $300 a shot for 7' tall pines balled and planted.
Spring Heeled Jack
3:45 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Where's that nursery? That is cheap!!!! I have plants that cost more than $50 each.
Steve
3:16 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
$500 is a good price. You have to dig the hole, transport the tree, transplant the tree and maintain it.
Steve
3:26 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
A pine isn't a shade tree. This program plants shade trees.
Windriver
4:27 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Deciduous trees are only shade trees during the short summer months when they have leaves. so this program is for 4 month shade trees. What about the other 8 months? They are stick trees.
Tim
6:01 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
short summer months?
you must be mistaking Maryland for Alaska
Windriver
9:07 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Well Steve, how long do deciduous trees hold their leaves here in Maryland?
Windriver
4:25 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Um a pine tree is a great shade tree that's why I planted them around my home. they block not just the sun all year long since they do not drop leaves and they also block the cold northern wind on that side of the house in the winter!
Paul Amirault
4:28 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
And your neighbor's inquiring eyes.
Windriver
4:44 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
And once grown and intertwined together, all year long they provide a fence to prevent walk throughs of my yard, unlike deciduous trees.
JD1
4:26 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Would like more info - tree species and size. BCPS plants about 500 trees each year with students and gets trees through the county forestry board.
JD1
5:15 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Windriver - you only need the shade during the warmer months (April - Sept). You actually need the sun when it's cold to help warm the buildings. You wouldn't want to shade a building during the winter. By the way - if you planted trees on the north side of the house they never block the sun as it doesn't hit that side of the building.
Windriver
8:51 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Pine trees on the north side of a home when large enough block the cold winter wind from the north form sucking the heat out of your home in the colder months. This is a widely accepted and known method of helping save energy in the colder months. My home uses passive solar gain and other means to save energy so I don;t need any lessons form anyone on efficiency.
Windriver
8:52 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I never said I use pines on the north to block sun, read again, I specifically said cold wind.
kindman
6:55 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Tax dollars put to good use.
JD1
9:42 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Did some research - they (not sure who) planted 12' trees. Friend runs a nursery in PG county and said going rate is 300 for trees that size, planted with 1 year guarantee. Sombody's pocket got lined to the tune of $200/ tree. That's $200,000 !!! Once again, government working for all us. There are multiple organizations that would have probably donated time, labor, equipment and even the trees for this project. Many schools are working to become Maryland Green Schols and would have welcomed the opportunity to involve kids, parents and the community.
Paul Amirault
9:47 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
JD1, $300 a tree for 12 footers, have them call me! I am either getting cheated or that is BS!
Windriver
8:54 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Anyone helping to donate time money or product could be counted as a "green job" according to the present government.
JD1
9:57 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
No BS - sorry - especially with that huge number ofbtrees. You can look them up along with a few others on the web.
Paul Amirault
10:19 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I bid out trees and bushes all the time, got a name for his company? Normal landscaping job is $50,000 to $100,000 in Baltimore County.
leo
8:53 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
It is almost impossible for volunteers to get permission to plant donated trees on any Baltimore County property at this time. Students, Scouts, and environmental
organizations should look elsewhere. EPS and their contractors know how to
do a better job.
Therno Lo
6:02 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Baltimore County loves to go on about their great tree planting programs. However, the seem to doing a pretty poor job of protecting existing trees. Look no further than the gastly mess on S Hilltop. They could have save a lot tax $$$ and prevented the clear cutting of large stand of existing mature trees. Those trees were doing more than any the trees to be planted in this program. Trees, open space and parks don't don't have a chance as long as they are inside the URDL.