What municipal asset gains value over time?

Friends of Trees presented before the Portland City Council Wednesday, detailing the increasing value of an urban forest.

“We know how many stop signs we have, we know how many miles of pipe we have, we know how many fire trucks we have, but how many trees do we have?” asked David Odom of Friends of Trees. “What’s their value?”

“It’s the one municipal asset that gains value over time,” said Odom, an ISA certified arborist and a Portland Urban Forestry Commissioner. “Tree planting is very important; it’s vital.”

The council unanimously approved the Urban Forestry Commission’s 2009 Annual Report.

Check back with Growth Rings soon for comments from the city council on urban forestry topics.

–Toshio Suzuki