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This initiative can give city trees a second life – and create jobs
- Trees in the city get less water, less space, have to fight alongside infrastructure and are often threatened by disease.
- 36 million urban trees die each year in the United States.
- Reforestation hubs can save trees from landfill and repurpose them for furniture or flooring.
- Not only is this good for the environment, but it creates new jobs.
The city is a difficult place for a tree to survive. Compared to their counterparts in the countryside, urban trees generally get less water, suffer more intense heat, compete for space with unyielding infrastructure and frequently become riddled with disease and pests. As a result, many cities are stuck with a lot of dead trees every year.
Cities and private contractors cut them down and usually turn them into firewood, mulch or haul them to the landfill. Often, cities replant fewer trees than they remove, leading to a net loss in canopy cover over time.