Opinion: Every Nice Tree is Twenty Years Old
The Painted Turtle Farm at Gettysburg College. (William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
By Logan Troy, Guest Columnist
The U.S. Northeast has been engulfed in drought for nearly all of autumn. Wildfires have ravaged large swaths of land across the Atlantic seaboard, just as the World Meteorological Organization has announced that 2024 is the warmest year on record. 2024 specifically gets to boast the hottest summer ever recorded worldwide. The truth stares us in the face. “Climate Havens” like the hills of North Carolina and the mild Northeast have now come to see the effects of a warming world paired with anti-green infrastructure.
A single tree can cool the air around it by an average of ten degrees. For shaded surfaces, it is an average of 20 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Tree canopies absorb and diffuse the sun’s radiation. Further, unlike manmade infrastructure like rooftops, cars and parking lots, trees do not retain heat for long periods and diffuse heat islands rather than create them. When looking at the collapse of regular weather events in an ever-warming climate, the future may seem daunting. However, by planting a single tree you can reduce air temperature through shade, help preserve fresh water, sequester carbon and add a touch of life to your property.
Planting trees will not offset the whole of global warming. That is a project governments and corporations motivated by people must address and solve. Planting a tree is a way to offset the extreme effects of weather over your life and neighborhood.
Choosing what trees to plant is an important task. Your hardiness zone is calculated based on the average cold temperatures of your area. Every plant is assigned their proper hardiness zone of the temperature range they can handle. Every nice tree you see was planted twenty years ago. When choosing your tree, you need to consider the trends of the future. A warmer, drier and potentially more polluted air supply is what vast regions of the world face. Gettysburg is hardiness zone 7a, meaning when choosing a tree, it must be hardy to zone 7a. Ideally, you choose plants that have some wiggle room in case of a severe weather event. To make it easy, I have selected some top trees for your big lawn, or your small patch of grass, that can greatly improve the quality of your Gettysburg neighborhood.
Large Trees
Eastern White Pine
A native evergreen tree, generally reaching 200 years old with a 150-foot height and 40-inch diameter. Fast growing and does excellent as a standalone tree. Very adaptable. Perfect for a large lawn or backyard.
Willow Oak
A native deciduous tree, with the potential to reach 100 feet. One of the most drought tolerant Oaks. Puts on a brilliant display of orange in autumn. Great shade tree. Valuable for local wildlife.
Eastern Red Cedar
A native evergreen tree, reaching 50 feet. This tree is adapted for direct sunlight, giving it a long growing season, exceptional drought and high heat tolerance. Does well in poor soils and can grow virtually anywhere planted. Berries are very valuable for wildlife.
Small Trees
Japanese Maple
A small deciduous tree. The Japanese Maple is not native but is not considered invasive. It is one of the most abundant ornamental trees. Simple, small and pretty, it is perfect for any small patch of grass or dirt needing a tree.
Eastern Redbud
Eastern Redbud is a native, small to medium deciduous tree. This drought resistant tree gives off displays of purple flowers in spring and provides adequate shade in summer.
Fig Tree
Figs are not native but are not considered invasive. At lower elevations they make excellent fruit trees, provide ample shade and tolerate droughts after their first season in the ground. Due to warming temperatures, Figs are doing increasingly well in the Northeast.
No matter what you are looking for or how much space you have, if you have the means to plant, always do. The impact of a single tree, bush or flower is monumental for local environments. Better your local community and add some shade to your property.
This article originally appeared on page 22 of the No. 1 December 2024 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
