Trees and Run Off
Image by U.S. Department of Agriculture from Flickr
Trees are the lungs of the Earth. They take in carbon dioxide and produce precious oxygen to sustain life. While trees help to clean the air, they also play an important role in regulating runoff. “Their leaf canopies help reduce erosion caused by falling rain. They also provide surface area where rain water lands and evaporates,”(“Soak up the Rain: Trees Help Reduce Runoff”). Runoff is created by rainwater that is not absorbed into the ground. This rainwater runs over “[...] roads, driveways, parking lots, rooftops, and other paved surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground,”(“Trees and Stormwater Runoff”). When water passes over these surfaces, it picks up whatever is in its path like garbage, plastic, rocks, dirt, etc. These pollutants cause drains and waterways to back up. When waterways are obstructed, water is diverted, and it can cause flooding. Pollutants in the waterways also usually find their way into our lakes, bays, and oceans, further damaging our ecosystem. “Stormwater runoff is the number one cause of stream impairment in urban areas,”(“Trees and Stormwater Runoff”).
Image by eutrophication&hypoxia from Flickr
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, city planners are starting to incorporate trees and shrubbery in urban areas to limit runoff. Trees help stop runoff by absorbing water into their roots, providing security by limiting land erosion. Their roots act as a vault that locks in dirt, thus preventing the surrounding area from eroding. “It is estimated that the urban forest can reduce annual runoff by 2 – 7 percent,”(Fazio). In addition to providing a more effective strategy for managing runoff, trees and small shrubs are also helping to reduce the temperature in cities caused by sweltering concrete and asphalt. Because of these benefits, city planners are actively including more plant life in urban areas.
Reboot Reforestation understands the importance of regulating runoff to prevent further pollution of our waterways and watersheds. The company is dedicated to preserving the environment by planting trees and cover crops. Specifically in the Southeast United States, well-maintained trees will help protect the land from wind damage and erosion from natural disasters like severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes (“Storm Damage Prevention and Treatment”).
Works Cited
Fazio, Dr. James R. “How Trees Can Retain Stormwater Runoff.” Tree City USA Bulletin issue
No. 55. https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/topics/urban_
forestry/products/11/800TreeCityUSABulletin_55.pdf. Accessed 31 May 2022.
“Trees and Stormwater Runoff.” Center for Watershed Protection,
https://www.cwp.org/reducing-stormwater-runoff/. Accessed 31 May 2022.
“Soak up the Rain: Trees Help Reduce Runoff.” epa.gov,
https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-trees-help-reduce-runoff. Accessed 31 May 2022.
“Storm Damage Prevention and Treatment.” University of Florida,
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/stormy.shtml. Accessed 31 May 2022.