Trees provide an important buffer against problems created by climate change, cooling our neighborhoods and helping control stormwater, but in Arlington, a new study shows an alarming loss of tree canopy.
“I think the bottom line is we need lots, lots more trees in Arlington County, in our community,” said Elenor Hodges of EcoAction Arlington, which helps plant trees free of charge on private property.
The tree canopy study commissioned by a group of private citizens shows in 2016, the area of Arlington shaded by trees was at 41%. That fell to 33% by 2021.
“We were extremely concerned,” said Mary Glass, who helped fund the study. “We’d already been concerned just seeing things and knowing that we were losing tree canopy rapidly.”
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Glass said she’s frustrated Arlington County hasn’t tried to get a better picture of tree canopy loss as it prepares its updated Forestry and Natural Resources Plan.
She and others forge ahead, though. EcoAction Arlington replenishes the tree stock, focusing on underserved neighborhoods.
Hodges would like to see the county provide more incentives for developers to plant.
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“I do think anything we can do in the county to get more people aware about trees, provide more incentives so that as we’re developing there are incentives to plant trees as part of the process,” she said. “That would be really important.”
The study is so precise it can guide exactly where to plant.
“If you want to add more street trees because you think that will cool the environment, you’ll have data right down to the block level,” Glass said.
But it’s hoped preserving mature trees also will be a priority as the county develops its own plan.
“The key will be for the county to use lots of small measures that they have in their power already to try to encourage people to save the mature trees where we can,” Glass said.
ARLnow.com first reported the canopy study results. The full report will be available in June.
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