Research that quantifies the net benefits of municipal forests, as well as tree planting and stewardship programs is essential in an era of dwindling municipal forest management budgets and rising costs. Benefit-cost analyses contrast the net expenditures associated with tree planting and stewardship with the benefits provided by trees, modeled over a 40-year time period. Center scientists developed models assigning dollar values to the benefits provided by trees, such as energy savings, air pollutant reductions, water quality improvements and aesthetics. Climate-specific tree planting guidelines were developed for regions throughout California and the West to enable communities to plant trees using the most cost-effective strategies.
