District of Sechelt Urban Forest Plan

District of Sechelt Urban Forest Plan 2010
g. Reduce the heat island effect. On hot days, paved landscapes can be up to five degrees
Celsius hotter than surrounding forests. Trees provide shade and cool the air through
evapo-transpiration (Bell and Wheeler 2004; UBCM 2008).
Ecosystem Function Benefits
Treed landscapes:
a. Support biodiversity, providing food and shelter for a variety of birds and other
wildlife (UBCM 2008).
b. Support ecosystem functions. Trees play a fundamental role in the circulation of
important chemical elements, such as nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and water within an
ecosystem (UBCM 2008).
c. Reduce erosion. Tree roots stabilize the soil, which is an important function especially
on steep slopes and in riparian zones (UBCM 2008).
d. Conserve and enhance soil productivity by enhancing biological activity (bugs,
bacteria and fungi) and the ability of the soil to take up, store and clean rainwater.
Certain tree species (e.g., Black Cottonwood) are prized for their ability to remove
heavy metals and toxins for the soil (UBCM 2008).
e. Provide sites for wildlife corridors.
f. Help to protect streams and other aquatic habitat. Trees in riparian areas are
essential for healthy streams; providing shade, nutrients and coarse organic debris,
while protecting stream banks from erosion (UBCM 2008).
g. Manage the influx of invasive species. Intact ecosystems can more effectively manage
and protect themselves from invasive species, whereas cleared lands and disturbed
sites allow for invasive species to establish themselves.
Economic Development Benefits
Treed Landscapes:
a. Attract Tourists. Visitors perceive communities with more green space and vegetation
as having better business quality, more shopping convenience and lower crime (Wolf,
K.W. 2000).
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