Trees

You see them everywhere, but don't take them for granted. Trees make it possible for humans to exist on the planet.

Trees are also critical for their environmental and aesthetic benefits. During the Dust Bowl, the Great Plains Shelterbelt promoted the value of trees to provide windbreaks and to combat drought and soil erosion. The Great Plains Shelterbelt and Prairie States Forestry Project planted 220 million trees, stretching over 18,600 miles, in a decade.

Many Great Plains states have renewed interests in shelterbelt programs due to decline in tree populations and environmental concerns.

Tree Programs

Mile Zero Trail Association, through its Chapter Organizations, is interested to provide education about the benefits of trees in communities through hands-on student projects and community celebrations centered around planning and planting trees.

Forested landscapes add to quality of life in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and provide important environmental benefits.

Trees not only cool the land and clean the air; they provide valuable protection from severe weather and tropical storms. From Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike on the Gulf Coast to "Superstorm" Sandy that struck the northeastern United States, climate scientists predict these kinds of powerful storms will occur with greater frequency in the future.

Urban development and periodic drought conditions are causes of rapid decline in tree populations, leaving communities more vulnerable to storms and dirty air. Trees remove particulate pollution and CO2, and release oxygen into the atmosphere. The Urban Forestry Network reports that "one acre of new forest can sequester about 2.5 tons of carbon annually."

Trees make us cooler and provide habitat for wildlife. They provide protection from the sun for children when playing outdoors. Trees increase property values, make communities more walkable, and improve the aesthetic qualities of the city.


Learn more about the organization's Mission, Principles and Goals.

Explore further by reading the Welcome Message.



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