WHAT WE DO Tree Protection Tree Preservation Large Tree Transplanting Informed Pruning Specimen Tree Planting Landscape Design Landscape Construction Plant Health Care Soil Care
Harrison McPhee SPRING / SUMMER 2026 Newsletter
WHAT WE DO Tree Protection Tree Preservation Large Tree Transplanting Informed Pruning Specimen Tree Planting Landscape Design Landscape Construction Plant Health Care Soil Care
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The New Value of Old Trees
Why Preservation Matters More Than Ever
There is something deeply reassuring about an old tree.
It may be the oak that has shaded a family picnic table for generations, the maple that turns brilliant orange each October, or the beech whose smooth gray trunk feels as familiar as the front steps. Mature trees give a property a sense of place. They hold memory, beauty, wildlife, and time in a way no new planting can immediately replace.
In recent years, we have seen more mature trees being removed. Sometimes removal is necessary. Trees can decline, become structurally unsafe, or reach a point where they can no longer be responsibly managed. But in many cases, trees come down before their full value has been understood— and before a thoughtful preservation plan has been considered.
At Harrison McPhee, we love planting trees. Planting is an act of hope. But planting a new tree is not the same as
preserving an old one. A young tree is just beginning its work. A mature tree has already spent decades cooling the air, sheltering birds, absorbing stormwater, feeding soil life, softening views, and making daily life more beautiful.
That living value grows over time. A large canopy tree can help cool a home, slow heavy rain, filter air, create habitat, and change how a yard feels— not just visually, but emotionally. A mature tree invites us outside. It gives children a place to wonder, birds a place to land, and homeowners a reason to pause.
This is why preservation matters. When we lose a mature tree, we lose more than a landscape feature. We lose years of accumulated benefits that cannot be quickly recreated.
Old trees, like old houses, often need skilled attention. They may need selective pruning, soil improvement, rootzone protection, structural support, or careful monitoring. continued inside