The trees that occupy our neighborhood streets, schoolyards and parks supply us with many health and aesthetic benefits when they stand alive and healthy.
But those trees are subject to damage and death from weather, insects and plain old old age. What happens to trees when they threaten public safety, and need to be removed?
Traditionally, they’ve just been cut down and disposed of in landfills, at taxpayers' expense.
But some city planners now realize that these trees are unrecognized city treasures. There’s a lot of valuable timber that can be salvaged from the beams and joists of old, abandoned homes — wood from old-growth forests that no longer exist. And deconstructing homes creates six times more jobs than just demolishing them.
And, dead urban trees can create live music! An enterprising guitar-making company, Taylor Guitars, partnered with West Coast arborists to create the Street Tree Revival Project.
After exploring which tree species would create acceptable tone woods, the musicians created a dedicated model in their guitar line that's crafted from the wood of a common urban tree called Shamel ash, in the olive family. The wood is a terrific mix of the right density and drying attributes, and responds well to sanding and finishing.
These initiatives showcase that even when trees reach the end of their long lives, we can still gain valuable resources — and sweet harmonies —from our urban forests.
