At no cost to residents of Colorado Springs, the City Forestry Division is utilizing Tree City USA funds to provide a 2012 street tree planting program.

Applications are first come first serve and due by Friday, March 16, 2012, click here to download. When the trees arrive, residents are required to pick up, plant and water their own trees (though once established most of these trees will be low-water use and drought tolerant). Available trees include: Tatarian “hot wings” Maple, “Radiant” Crabapple*, Coralburst Crabapple*, Aristocrat Pear*, “China Snow” Tree Lilac, Glenleven Linden, Harvest Gold Linden, Horsechestnut, Hackberry, Kentucky Coffeetree, Northern Catalpa (pictured), Chinkapin Oak, Swamp White Oak, Bur Oak, English Oak and Northern Red Oak. (*Smaller trees suitable for planting in small spaces or under powerlines.) You probably know that trees provide us with beautiful landscapes, can camouflage unsightly views, provide privacy and increase property values, but did you know that they also:

• Keep our air fresh by supplying the oxygen we breathe and absorbing the carbon dioxide emitted by factories and engines. Some trees also trap and filter out dust and pollen on their hairy leaf surfaces.
• Save energy. Trees are natural air conditioners - they lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves. Trees can also reduce home heating and cooling costs. Large, broad-leafed shade trees are most effective shading the east and west windows from summer sun while keeping south-facing windows open to the winter sun reduces the need to heat in winter.
• Act as barriers, which help cut noise pollution and slow strong winds.
• Stabilize soil and prevent erosion. Trees also absorb and slow down stormwater, which keeps pollutants out of our waterways.
• Provide food for humans and animals and shelter us from direct sun on hot summer days.

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