Tree a City
Trees can look beautiful in the winter
The cities around the planet need more trees.
In Ottawa, Canada there is a greenbelt around the city. Essentially this is designated land where no development can take place with the exception of the odd government facility built long ago.
This parcel of land has meadows, streams, wetlands and fields along with beautiful coniferous and deciduous trees. The residents of the city have access to this land. There are many paths and walkways to enjoy nature without having to travel far to do it. This is all taken care of by the National Capital Commission (NCC), which is a governing body over-looking the land.
This land was set aside as a concept for a belt around the old city of Ottawa. Since then, it now contains the inner core of the city - as the sprawl went beyond the outside of the original plan - because the new city of Ottawa amalgamated with smaller cites to make one large city. The idea was conceived and started in 1950 by a gentleman with the name of Jacques Gréber. Even today the Ottawa greenbelt is among the largest urban parks in the world. This idea was excellent and Mr. Jacques Gréber is to be commended on his vision for the future of the Ottawa area.
This type of planning is the exception and not the rule. There is room for improvement within every city regarding planning and building with nature in mind.
Developers today have the bottom line in mind which includes; a willing government participant to extract more money from taxes, while giving less land in exchange for the money of the people where the houses are built. This may help fill the coffers at city hall and the private developer’s pocket, but it does nothing to allow the people and nature to coexist in a harmonious environment.
When a city has vacant land available these areas should be strongly considered to be treed with native trees that have the capacity to grow large. It does not have to be a park - although that is preferable for people - but rather mass planting (as in nature) of trees close together to emulate a natural environment.
In the country the trees are native and usually very large. Some well over 100 feet tall. If one takes the time they will notice that the country air is very clean and also offers cooler
temperatures than the concrete jungles of the cities.
In Ottawa, Canada there is a greenbelt around the city. Essentially this is designated land where no development can take place with the exception of the odd government facility built long ago.
This parcel of land has meadows, streams, wetlands and fields along with beautiful coniferous and deciduous trees. The residents of the city have access to this land. There are many paths and walkways to enjoy nature without having to travel far to do it. This is all taken care of by the National Capital Commission (NCC), which is a governing body over-looking the land.
This land was set aside as a concept for a belt around the old city of Ottawa. Since then, it now contains the inner core of the city - as the sprawl went beyond the outside of the original plan - because the new city of Ottawa amalgamated with smaller cites to make one large city. The idea was conceived and started in 1950 by a gentleman with the name of Jacques Gréber. Even today the Ottawa greenbelt is among the largest urban parks in the world. This idea was excellent and Mr. Jacques Gréber is to be commended on his vision for the future of the Ottawa area.
This type of planning is the exception and not the rule. There is room for improvement within every city regarding planning and building with nature in mind.
Developers today have the bottom line in mind which includes; a willing government participant to extract more money from taxes, while giving less land in exchange for the money of the people where the houses are built. This may help fill the coffers at city hall and the private developer’s pocket, but it does nothing to allow the people and nature to coexist in a harmonious environment.
When a city has vacant land available these areas should be strongly considered to be treed with native trees that have the capacity to grow large. It does not have to be a park - although that is preferable for people - but rather mass planting (as in nature) of trees close together to emulate a natural environment.
In the country the trees are native and usually very large. Some well over 100 feet tall. If one takes the time they will notice that the country air is very clean and also offers cooler
temperatures than the concrete jungles of the cities.
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Developers in the city now have a new trend that didn’t exist years ago when planting trees. It goes right along with the condensed new housing being built. Since the houses are so close, there is usually a list of trees that you cannot
plant or the warranty on the house will be void. Admittedly, some of the trees do pose a threat to the foundations of houses, but the reason they do is because they are so close together. New miniature versions of maples are being planted in Canada along with smaller trees, and they take a very long time to achieve any kind of significant size. |
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This is a step backwards in urban planning.
It is time city planners and home builders go to a better model and start building houses with more land around each one. This will give tenants and land owners an opportunity to consider large trees on their yards, and plan beautiful gardens. This will in turn beautify the city, clean the air, and teach our children more about trees and plants; thus passing this on to future generations.
When a one hundred year old tree is treated with no respect and replaced by a parking lot or a smaller tree that will never attain its height, you are sending the wrong signal. The old tree has the ability to shade a large area and has a beautiful impact, where the new tree simply cannot do this due to its variety and age. Each tree must be accessed for its value. If a
parking lot must go there and there is a one hundred year old oak, would it not be a good idea to forego a few parking spots to leave the tree? I can guarantee on a hot day, you will find the majority of the cars parked under that tree while other parking spots in the hot sun are empty.
Beautiful cities that have large trees and dedicated green space have an immediate and wonderful impact. Trees that are larger are more adept at cleaning the air from carbon dioxide. Large trees minimize noise pollution in a city, and they are essential on sloping land to prevent soil erosion. Large trees produce oxygen which is essential for life and can act as windbreaks during storms and in cold winter weather.
Builders and construction companies must stop using timber as the main source of construction. There are alternative ways to build a house, such as; concrete and eco block among others. Wood rots and can attract termites, wasps and carpenter ants rendering some investments in extreme cases useless. To use wood, trees are often taken down carelessly thus reducing the benefit they give this planet and killing them in the process.
New city planners should not only plan for larger lot sizes but also for one park for every five city blocks. That’s two parks for every ten blocks, and each park must be equal to the size of one city block, so no miniature parks with a play structure amidst a plethora of houses like new developments consistently do today.
This will accomplish cooler cities, cleaner air, and great places for our children to live, grow up, and play in. People can get outside more to; walk, jog, have picnics and just enjoy the great outdoors. Birds formerly restricted to the country, will come closer to the new large parks in the city. Some will frequent the taller canopies of the trees if there is a food source nearby. More wildlife will come into the city and people can learn, understand and experience them as well.
Trees are very important regarding the health of the planet. When considering future plans for city development it would be a good idea to think of the beauty, ambience and serenity a mature tree provides. If this is kept in mind, the cities of the future will integrate seamlessly with mother earth.
It is time city planners and home builders go to a better model and start building houses with more land around each one. This will give tenants and land owners an opportunity to consider large trees on their yards, and plan beautiful gardens. This will in turn beautify the city, clean the air, and teach our children more about trees and plants; thus passing this on to future generations.
When a one hundred year old tree is treated with no respect and replaced by a parking lot or a smaller tree that will never attain its height, you are sending the wrong signal. The old tree has the ability to shade a large area and has a beautiful impact, where the new tree simply cannot do this due to its variety and age. Each tree must be accessed for its value. If a
parking lot must go there and there is a one hundred year old oak, would it not be a good idea to forego a few parking spots to leave the tree? I can guarantee on a hot day, you will find the majority of the cars parked under that tree while other parking spots in the hot sun are empty.
Beautiful cities that have large trees and dedicated green space have an immediate and wonderful impact. Trees that are larger are more adept at cleaning the air from carbon dioxide. Large trees minimize noise pollution in a city, and they are essential on sloping land to prevent soil erosion. Large trees produce oxygen which is essential for life and can act as windbreaks during storms and in cold winter weather.
Builders and construction companies must stop using timber as the main source of construction. There are alternative ways to build a house, such as; concrete and eco block among others. Wood rots and can attract termites, wasps and carpenter ants rendering some investments in extreme cases useless. To use wood, trees are often taken down carelessly thus reducing the benefit they give this planet and killing them in the process.
New city planners should not only plan for larger lot sizes but also for one park for every five city blocks. That’s two parks for every ten blocks, and each park must be equal to the size of one city block, so no miniature parks with a play structure amidst a plethora of houses like new developments consistently do today.
This will accomplish cooler cities, cleaner air, and great places for our children to live, grow up, and play in. People can get outside more to; walk, jog, have picnics and just enjoy the great outdoors. Birds formerly restricted to the country, will come closer to the new large parks in the city. Some will frequent the taller canopies of the trees if there is a food source nearby. More wildlife will come into the city and people can learn, understand and experience them as well.
Trees are very important regarding the health of the planet. When considering future plans for city development it would be a good idea to think of the beauty, ambience and serenity a mature tree provides. If this is kept in mind, the cities of the future will integrate seamlessly with mother earth.
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