Historical Summer 2010 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
In the summer, whenever I walk to my sister’s house in Parkview, I’m amazed at how much cooler it is in that part of Skinker DeBaliviere. It’s no coincidence that when I enter Parkview and walk to her house, I am nearly always in the shade. Parkview is blessed with an abundance of old trees that form a canopy over the neighborhood.
If you’ve ever looked at a google map of our neighborhood, you can see the difference—it’s so green and dark in Parkview.
In recent years, many of the old trees in Rosedale and Washington Heights have succumbed to disease or storms, and so we do not have the amount of shade that we did in past years.
The difference is a perfect example of the heat island effect.
The urban heat island describes cities that are hotter than nearby rural areas–brought on by dark roofs, black pavement, brick houses, and an absence of vegetation. Heat islands generate ozone pollution, make people swelter, drive up utility bills, and change rainfall patterns.
The St. Louis area is estimated to have a heat island effect of about 6ºF — in other words, our temperatures across the city are that much higher because of the urban heat island effect.
While we can’t control the whole city, we can do quite a bit to make our part of the city more pleasant by adding trees. Just being in the shade in the summer can bring the temperature down 20ºF and everyone can appreciatethat in the St. Louis summer heat. Planting trees is one of the best ways to mitigate the heat island effect. Lots of trees.
They provide cooling shade, lower energy use, reduce airpollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and they soak up groundwater runoff. So, in addition to cooling the area, they also provide many otherenvironmental benefits. One of the first, best places to plant a tree is in the tree lawn– that area between the sidewalk and the street.
A nice big shade tree will help keep the sun from heating up the black asphalt.
In addition, deciduous trees to the south or southwest of your house will help cool it in the summer but let the sun’s warmth come through in the winter. Ornamental trees around the house will also provide shade and cooler temperatures.
An additional benefit is that the presence of trees has a positive impact on property values — in other words, your house is worth more with a well-tended yard that includes trees.
If you are wondering what kind of tree to plant, the Missouri Botanical Garden provides good choices based on your preferences. You can search this website with the kinds of features you want, and the database will provide trees, flowers, and plants that fit your criteria (http://www.mobot. org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ Search.asp).
The aldermen will provide a street tree free of charge to residents who request it. Ald. Frank Williamson and Lyda Krewson both provide that service to constituents in their wards.
If you are looking for more ways to curb the heat island effect (and there’s no reason we can’t try to make it cooler than the surrounding rural areas), there are additional steps beyond planting trees. New roofing materials that reflect the sun’s heat are coming onto the market and many of them would fit well within our historic standards.
In general, lighter colored roofs are greener. Tree planting benefits the homeowner and everyone who lives in the neigbhorhood. Replacing lost trees and even adding additional ones will help Skinker DeBaliviere maintain its historic and distinctive character. And, it will have effects that last for generations.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2010.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2010_06.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
