Our surroundings can tell us quite a bit. Every building, road, and public area has a story to tell. The average person walks between 2,000 and 2,500 steps per mile, with some tripling that amount.
With that, many can see and appreciate how well our public infrastructure is maintained. So, it can be disappointing when proper care is not given to walkable areas. One pedestrian was startled by a concerning scene along a city sidewalk and took to Reddit to share it.
Posted to the r/arborists subreddit, photos highlight a row of city-planted trees along an aging sidewalk, showing the decaying trees from various angles. One photo zooms in on the ground where one tree stands, whereas another shows a near-leafless tree from across the street.
"They are 20 years old or so. I think they are Salix Caprea, Pinus Contorta and Populus Alba and P. Nigra," the original poster wrote.
Effective management for city tree health has immediate and long-lasting benefits. According to Blue Zones, trees planted in urban landscapes reduce traffic crashes, improve drainage infrastructure, and even grow businesses by 12%.
As communities grapple with a warming planet, it's important to note that urban trees next to streets absorb nine times more pollutants than more distant trees, and they also lower local temperatures, per Nature.
When it comes to maintaining a thriving and resilient city, native plants provide lasting relief for all types of landscapes, especially home yards. Native plant lawns help both air quality and homeowners' finances, as they require less maintenance and water, saving time and money on water bills.
Whether it's native plants, clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping, even a partial lawn replacement can allow homeowners to reap the benefits.
In addition, native lawns can create a healthier ecosystem for pollinators, which benefit humans, as pollinators protect our food supply.
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As cities lose four million trees each year, or 1.3% of the urban tree stock, investing in nature is a crucial step to ensuring community well-being.
"That place looks positively pitiful," one Redditor wrote.
"A bit hard on the eyes," another commented.
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