By Donna Coble, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri
“Right tree, right place.” That phrase is on the identification tag of every tree that leaves Forest ReLeaf’s nursery and serves as a reminder to consider several factors when planting trees. For us, the right tree (shrub or plant) is native; the right place is where it will thrive.
At CommuniTree Gardens, our community-assisted nursery in Creve Coeur Park, we grow only native trees, shrubs and plants and make them available for free for planting on public land. We have planted over 210,000 trees throughout Missouri and southern Illinois since our inception in 1993.
Native species have adapted well to our region’s changing climate, provide myriad benefits and require less maintenance than non-native vegetation. Native trees and plants often provide better wildlife habitat than ornamental non-native specimens and generally live longer. Natives are also experts at managing stormwater by slowing down and absorbing rainwater, which improves water quality in our streams, rivers and rain gardens. Beyond that, they make our communities prettier places to live and work.
In our city neighborhoods, native street and park trees adapt well to often less than ideal natural settings. Placing these trees in the right place – enough space to grow and not under or near power lines – ensures they will provide benefits for 40 years or more. In fact, mature trees are a green infrastructure investment and give back $100 or more each year in terms of reducing stormwater runoff, sequestering carbon dioxide and improved air quality. The bottom line: native trees and plants make us happier let us all breathe easier!