RICHMOND CITY
COUNCIL
Richmond
City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, Virginia 23219
U.S.A. - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC
INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Thursday,
24 July 2014
Richmond residents reminded of September 1st application deadline for
the FY 2015 Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program: Purchase,
plant and protect a Community Street Tree
Entire community invited and encouraged to adopt a tree
WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) -- Richmond City Council encourages
residents to adopt a tree and reminds residents of the upcoming September 1st deadline
for applying for the FY 2015 Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program. Applications are
accepted from July 1 to September 1 of each year and trees are planted from November
1 to April 15.
Managed by the
Richmond Department of Public Works Division of Urban Forestry, the Richmond
Adopt-a-Tree Program helps increase the beauty, efficiency and value of
Richmond neighborhoods by providing a way for Richmond residents to purchase, plant,
protect and care for city/community street trees.
For information, adoption requirements, applications and more
information about the Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program click http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/documents/letterParticipAdoptATree.pdf
and/or by contacting the Richmond Department of Public Works
Division of Urban Forestry, at 804.646.0681/646.5607 or http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/UrbanForestry.aspx
(webpage). Tree adoptions are $50 each.
Recognized as a successful
program that is helping to replenish and sustain community street trees in the
city, the Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program is helping to protect one of Richmond's
most precious assets and valuable resources.
Representing a replacement value of more than
$211 million, Richmond's stock of community street trees help save and serve
Richmond residents in some of the following ways:
·
Community
street trees can save millions of dollars in road/street repair and
maintenance by providing shade that protects the oil-based sealer from
drying out as fast. This can defer the need for slurry seal from every 10 years
to every 20-25 years for older streets with extensive tree canopy cover.
·
Community
street trees reduce noise pollution by 50 percent by acting as a buffer
and absorbing urban noise, according to a U.S.A. Department of Energy study.
·
Community
street trees reduce flooding and stormwater runoff by reducing
intercepting and storing volumes of rainwater on leaves, branches and surfaces,
thereby mitigating the onset of peak flows.
·
Community
street trees reduce soil erosion and downstream stream/river/water pollution
by diminishing the impact of raindrops on barren surfaces.
·
Community
street trees increase a city's aesthetic beauty, which has an effect on its economic
and tourism desirability and financial health.
·
Studies
have shown that families who live near trees have significantly better
relations with and stronger ties to their neighbors and have the potential to
reduce government social service budgets, decrease police calls for domestic
violence, and decrease the incidence of child abuse.
·
Trees
on properties can increase real estate values by 5-15 percent compared to
properties without trees.
·
Trees increase air quality and reduce harmful
greenhouse gas by mitigating levels of carbon dioxide.
·
Trees can save families from 20-25 percent of their
annual household energy use when well-positioned trees are used around a
conventional house compared to a house in a wide-open/non-treed area, according
to the United States Forestry Service.
- E N D -
Steve Skinner
Council Public Information Manager
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
Richmond City Council Executive
Offices
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A.
804.646.6052 (office)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)
www.council.richmondva.gov(website)
______________________________________________________________
MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to
represent citizens in creating and amending local laws,
providing government
policy and oversight, and
approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to
creating a vibrant community that is a great place
to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.
