You may already know about the
importance of planting trees and shrubs
in your backyard or garden. Their roots
help to stop soil erosion and filter out
excess sediment, nutrients, and pollutants
from storm-water runoff. They improve
air quality by lowering the temperature
and removing airborne pollutants. Their
tissues store carbon dioxide, helping to
counteract global warming.
Trees and shrubs also provide food and
shelter for a wide variety of beneficial
backyard wildlife, including songbirds,
butterflies, and honeybees. Planting trees
and shrubs can also increase the value of
your property by improving the aesthetics
of your home. But did you know that what
kind of tree you plant is just as important
as the decision to plant it?
Before choosing a tree or shrub for your
yard, you need to ask yourself some
questions. What is your goal in planting the
tree? What are some of the environmental
characteristics for the area in which you
want to plant it? And, most importantly, is
the tree you want to plant native to the
area where you will be planting it? If you
consider these factors before you plant
your tree, your efforts will be much more
worthwhile in the long run. In fact, if you
don’t consider these things first, you may
end up with a much bigger problem later.
Choosing a native species will better
ensure that your tree will survive and be
beneficial to the ecosystem in which you
place it. Native trees and shrubs have coevolved with their landscape over many
years and have adapted to local soils and
climate. Native trees and shrubs tend to
be resistant to specific diseases and pests
found in their regions and tolerant of
other local environmental stresses.
Overall, once established, native
trees and shrubs generally need less
maintenance, often requiring fewer, if
any, fertilizers or pesticides or additional
water. Additionally, local wildlife species
have evolved with native trees and
shrubs and are dependent on the food
and habitat that they provide — resources
that are not necessarily provided by
nonnative species.
Non-native trees and shrubs can cause
many problems. Some will simply not
survive their planting. Others may drain
a limited resource. For example, some
water-thirsty non-natives will withdraw