CARTERET COUNTY TREE FACTS

Download pdf file

THE VALUE OF TREES IN OUR COMMUNITY

The trees of our southeastern coastal county are a remarkable natural resource. They are a huge economic asset and a vital component of our local environment. Trees attract people and wildlife and nourish our sense of well-being. They add directly to monetary profits. For our own benefit, trees deserve our consideration and protection. Some of the ways that trees benefit us are:

Air--Trees are efficient, cost-effective, natural systems that clean our air by reducing pollutants. Tree leaves and roots filter air, rain and ground water, and in the process, absorb particulates and polluting nutrients. A mature tree can absorb 120 to 140 pounds per year of gases, such as the carbon dioxide emitted by automobiles and industrial facilities.

Water and Soil--Without trees to anchor soil, storm water runoff becomes an expensive community problem. Trees help reduce the high costs of installing (and maintaining) drainage ditches and storm sewers. Tree-lined streets reduce water runoff by hundreds of gallons. Municipal tree plantings allow local governments to use smaller, less expensive water systems, resulting in lower water bills for all.Trees' ability to stabilize soil also decreases topsoil erosion. As trees are lost, soil slips away; then silt and other pollutants wash into our ground water supply and our streams and rivers. The consequences are polluted water, wildlife destruction, and the outlay of public funds to fix the problem.

Energy--Trees are a low-tech method of curbing energy costs. In the summer their shade cools dramatically; in winter, they protect us from winter winds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that the net effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. And trees properly placed around buildings can save 20 to 30 percent in energy used for heating.

Noise--Noise from roads and highways, power machinery, large delivery vehicles can be nerve-wracking. Trees mitigate these sounds. The leaves, branches, and twigs of trees absorb sound waves. Plant a 10-foot deep mix of coniferous and deciduous trees and the noise from a lawnmower will decrease by 40 percent.

Health--Trees and green spaces affect our mood in positive ways. Parks and forests, urban tree scenes and backyard woods nourish our sense of well-being and help us function better. Studies show that a view of pleasant landscapes reduces road-related stress in drivers and lowers our heart rate. Spending time among trees and green landscapes is invigorating and helps us cope with the fast pace of our community

and world.

 Plant and Keep Trees; Save Money

Trees convey a positive community image. Their presence is a major factor in attracting residents, businesses, and tourists--all of whom pay taxes and contribute to the overall wealth of a community.

Since trees increase in value from the time they are planted until they mature, they are a wise investment for municipalities, homeowners and developers.

Property Values--Trees boost the sales appeal of commercial and residential properties. People visit more often and spend more money in businesses that are attractively landscaped and shaded with trees.

Values of residential properties increase when trees are in the landscape. This is true for newly built homes and older ones, as well as building lots. Appraisers have long known this fact, and studies confirm it: landscaping with trees can increase property values as much as 20 percent.

Information Sources

**N.C. Cooperative Extension, 303 College Circle , Morehead City , NC 28557 , 252-222-6352, www.carteret.ces.ncsu.edu. Ask for the list of Native and Highly Adapted Trees, Shrubs and Perennials that Grow in Carteret County .

*N.C. Division of Forestry Resources, www.dfr.state.nc.us. Click on Forestry Store. The store sells seedlings of hardwoods and coniferous trees.

*N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, www.ces.ncsu.edu. Type *Plant Fact Sheets* in the search box.

*The National Arbor Day Foundation, www.arborday.org. This website is full of information about the best trees for hardiness zone 8.

Recommended Trees for Planting in Carteret County

Recommended trees are grouped by size at maturity. Consult a reliable reference or contact the North Carolina Extension Service for optimum planting instructions.

Key
N -Native to area
E-Evergreen
D- Deciduous
S -Grows best with sun almost all day.
PtSh -Partial shade.
Sh-Prefers little or no direct sunlight.
DT- Drought Tolerant
W- Tolerates wet conditions
ST- Salt Tolerant*

Small Trees Under 20 feet

Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor) 6-8'h x 'w; N,E,S or PtSh, ST
Fig Tree (Ficus carica)8-12'h x 8-12'w, D, S; Edible fruit
Florida Anise Tree (Illicum floridian) 6-10'h x 5-8'w; D, S or Sh
Loquat (Eriobatrya japonia) 10-20'h x 8-12'w; E;S or Pt.Sh
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) 8-20'h x 6-10'w; N; D, S to PtSh; Poisonous fruit
Service Berry (Amelanchier canadensis) 10-20'h x 8-15'w; N,D,S to PtSh; Spring bloom
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) 10-12' h x 8-10'w; D, S to PtSh; Early spring bloom
Sweet Bay Magnolia(Magnolia virginiana)10-20'h x8-10'w **N; D,SemiE,W toD,S to PtSh; Fragrant
Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) 10-20'h x 10-20'w; N,E,S to PtSh; Fragrant
Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)15-20'h x 10-15'w; N, E,StoPtSh

Medium Trees 20-30 Feet

American Holly (Ilex opaca) 20-25'h x 15-20'w; N,E
Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) 20-30'h x15-20'w; N,E,S,DT; Fruit litter.
Chinese Pistachio (Pistacia chinensis)25-40'h x 25-35'w; D,S,DT;Outstanding park,street or lawn tree.
Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia hybrids)15-30'h x 5-15'w; D;S. Summer Flowering.
Devilwood or Wild Tea Olive (Osmanthus americnus) 15-25' h x 10-20'w; N;E,ST
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) 20-30'h x 12-25'w; N,D,S to PtSh,DT; Spring flowering.
Flowering Crab Apple (Malus hybrida) 15-25'h x 10-20'w; D,S; Spring flowering.
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) 15-30'h x 15-20' w; N; D;PtSh;Year round interest.
Hedge Maple (Acer campestre) 25-35'h x 25-35'w; D,S to PtSh; Good under utility lines
Holly (Ilex) many species and all grow well in this area
Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora Little Gem) 20-25' x 10-15' E;S toPtSh
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) 20-30'h x 10-15''w; N,D,S to PtSh,DT. Small edible fruit
River Birch (Betula nigra) 20-40'h x 16-20'w; N,D, PtSh;. Exfoliating bark.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) 20-30'h x 10-15' w; N,D,S or Sh;Summer flower & fall color.
Trident Maple (Acer campestre) 25-35'h x 20-30'w; DS,DT,ST; Fall color,exfoliating bark.
 

LargeTrees Over 30 feet

American Beech (Fagus grandiflora) 50-70'hx40-60w; N, D,S, Requires specific soil conditions
Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)50-75h x 15-20'w; E,StoPtSh,W
Bald Cyprus (Taxodium distichum) 50x70' h 20-30' w; N, D,S,W to Dry,no alkaline soil
Black Gum or Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) 30-50'h x 20-30'; N, D,S to Pt.Sh,W
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) 40x50'h, 10-20'w; N, E,S to Pt.Sh,
Ginkgo Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) 50-70'h x 20-40'w; D,S. Plant only male tree.
Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) 50-75'h x 30-45'w;D,S,DT
Hickory (Carya glabra)50-60'h x 50-75'w; N,D,S,
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) 40-60'h 20x40'w; D,S. Thornless variety recommended
Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergi) 40-70h x 15-25'w; E.S,ST,DT
Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica) 40-60'h x30-40'w; N,E,S. long lived
Lacebark Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) 40-60'hx30-40'w; D or SemiE,S
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) 40-80h x 60-100'w; N, E,S,S, long lived
Oaks such as White(alba) Red(falcata) Willow (phellos) N,D,S., grow well in this area.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)40-60'h x 25-40'w;N, D,S to PtSh. Brilliant red fall color.
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) 60-80'h x 30- 40'w;N, E. S to PtSh. Fragrant late spring bloom.
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) 60-100'h x 50-75'w; N, D,S to PtSh; Non fruiting variety preferred.
Sycamore(Platanus occidentalis) 70-100'h x 60-80'w N,D
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) 60-150'h x 30-40'w; N; D,S. Late spring flowers 

Plant these trees with Caution, if at all.

Black Alder (Ilex verticillata) Not heat tolerant

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Weedy and aggressive

Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) One of the South's most overplanted trees. It is

  relatively short lived, is brittle and easily damaged in storms.

Chinese Privet Variegated (Ligustrum) Invasive

Locust (Robinia sp.) Can become very weedy, root suckers prolifically

Long Leaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Uproots and breaks in half in high winds. Avoid

  planting near homes and other structures.

Pecan (Carya illinoinis) Tends to be brittle and lose large limbs in high winds.   

  Avoid planting near homes or other structures.

Silver Maple (Populus alba) Weak wood

Water Oak (Quercus nigra) Weak wood, lims break in wind; Weedy in our  

  planting zone.

 Yucca (Yucca aloifolia) Not for use where children play. Useful where human

  access is to be discouraged.

Tree Resources for Teachers

Compiled by Carteret County Tree Awareness Group

North Carolina Project Learning Tree (PLT): A national, award winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators working with students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. PLT prepares students to make informed decisions about conservation practices and resource use by stressing how to think about the environment, not what to think. The PLT preK-8 guide is correlated to the Standard Course of Study objectives in Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and Science. Activity guides are available through PLT workshops (teacher renewal of NC EE certification credit). Contact PLT State Coordinator, NCSU, Campus Box 8003, Raleigh, NC 27695-8003 (919-515-5636).

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu

Project Wild: a conservation and environmental education program. The program emphasizes wildlife as a basis for teaching how ecosystems function. Contact Project Wild National Office, 5555 Morningside Drive, Suite 212, Houston, TX 77005 ( 713-520-1936) http://www.projectwild.org Local contact for this program: Mike Campbell, Wildlife Resources Commission, District Education Specialist, Box 14170, New Bern, NC 28561 (252-514-6663) campbell.mike@coned.wildlife.state.nc.us

Croatan National Forest District Office, James Cherry or Doug French (252-638-5628) Hikes to Patsy Pond Trail to see controlled burn areas for the promotion of long leaf pine and red cockaded woodpeckers.

Coolsprings Environmental Education Center on 1700 acres of forestland owned by Weyerhaeuser along the Neuse River, 6 miles upriver from New Bern. No charge. http://www.coolsprings.org

http://www.ee.enr.state.nc.us Office of Environmental education offers a long list of sites for environmental education materials and environmental links in North Carolina

http://highlands.vic.edu The Great Tree Hunt, an online collaborative project where groups of students research and investigate trees in their local environment. Information may include stories, poems, drawings, descriptions, creative & factual writing, measurements, photography. For grades 3 through 8.

http://web.lwc.edu Love a Tree, an environmental education program developed by International Paper with lesson plans and resources.

http://journeytoforever.org Compilation of teacher resources for school composting, trees & forests.

http://education-world.com Classroom lesson plans

http://gp.com Georgia Pacific provides lesson plans for "People & Trees"; "Water & Forests"; "Paper recycling"; "Birds & Forests"; "From the Forest"; "The Forester's Job"; "Mammals & Forests".

http://atozteacherstuff.com Lesson plans for "Have You Ever Met a Tree"; "My Life as a Tree" and others.

http://arborday.org Site includes classroom activities and games.

http://www.nationalwildlifefederation.org Site includes a section for educators on creating habitat sites and other resources. National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16 th St. NW, Washington DC 20036

http://www.epa.gov/teachers (or search Google: EPA education) Site includes curriculum resources, awards, grants, community service projects, scholarships, workshops and conferences.

http://www.afandpa.org Site of the American Forest and Paper Association includes a section devoted to kids and educators that focuses primarily on recycling. Has teacher resources, brochures, fact sheets and posters.