In addition to health and social benefits, real estate agents say homes with well-maintained, mature trees tend to sell faster and for a higher price compared to those without trees.
Two-minute impact
Although Pflugerville is located in the Blackland Prairie ecoregion, the area’s relatively flat topography dates back to when European settlers deforested the land to make room for agriculture and cattle land, Pflugerville Urban Pforester Dave Madden said.
In the present day, the east side of the city has 10% tree canopy compared to the west’s 20%. This was an area primarily used for farming, and now is also seeing a boom in recent development, with new trees not yet having had time to mature.
While the outer edges of town remain relatively flat, Madden used an Environmental Protection Agency mapping tool to identify other areas eligible for environmental justice. Utilizing a grant from the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, Madden found that over half the houses in the Windermere, Watson Park and Hillside Springs neighborhoods had either no trees or trees in poor conditions.
“The residents might not have the funds to replace those trees,” Madden said. “What we’re going to end up with if we’re not careful is what Austin has right now, where their older neighborhoods are actually getting barren of trees.”
The details
The areas in Pflugerville found to be in need of additional tree coverage experience higher temperatures than surrounding neighborhoods because the lack of tree canopy creates an urban heat island, Madden said.
The city hopes to enhance these spaces most affected with its tree project, providing greater access to the environmental, social and economic benefits of tree canopy.
Over the course of the program, the city aims to plant 335 trees in the Windermere, Watson Park and Hillside Springs neighborhoods.
In November and December, the city held its first tree planting events as part of this initiative, which resulted in resident volunteers planting 58 trees.
Madden works as the project organizer, and helps coordinate volunteers, tree recipients and the grant allocation process.
“We go out a couple days in advance to the sites and meet with the homeowners at their home, and we [prepare] the planting sites for the volunteers,” Madden said. “The volunteers [on] the day of, they actually put the trees in the ground and set up the irrigation.”
There are four types of native trees available through the program: chinkapin oak, cedar elm, pecan or Mexican sycamore.
The city of Pflugerville received grants to fund the tree-planting initiative by the Inflation Reduction Act and USDA Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. The breakdown of spending includes:
- Trees: $87,288 total
- Tree Delivery: $2,000 total
- Temporary irrigation: $41,205 total
- Mulch: $4,690 total
- Tools total: $9,325
- Direct mail advertising: $1,734 total
- Yard signs: $548 total
- Personal protective equipment: $2,810 total
The benefits of trees—environmentally, socially and economically—is extensive, Madden said. Besides reducing surface temperature and purifying the air, trees can help reduce energy consumption and slow water runoff erosion.
Hospital patients that can see trees from their window need less medication and recover from surgery faster, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Access to green spaces also reduces crime rates and violent crimes, and can increase education outcomes for children, Madden said.
In residential areas, the addition of trees can also increase the value of homes.
“Any home with large, beautiful, old trees is going to have better curb appeal, and that curb appeal is going to cause anything from the price increase to more buyers wanting to purchase that home,” said LJ Sternberg, a Realtor for the Pflugerville-serving LJ Residential.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the economic benefit of trees to homeowners could include:
- 100 yard trees provide $272,000 in combined savings
- Homes near trees sell 8%-20% higher
- Properties with trees have 7% higher rents
- Street trees increase average home prices by $7,130
- Healthy public trees provide $60 in annual energy savings
Daniel Swayze bought a home with his wife, Anna, in Pflugerville last August. He noticed the lack of trees in the neighborhood before he moved in, and worried about what that would mean for hot summers and walking his dogs.
Although Swayze doesn’t consider cost as a motivating factor for his enrollment in the program, he thinks the financial benefit for his neighbors who may not be able to afford trees is one of its main perks. For example, it costs the city $718 per tree, with irrigation and labor included, when staff perform routine planting.
Resident Gabrielle Vernachio moved to Pflugerville four years ago, and since that time she has noticed development increase while the landscape has remained relatively barren. She thinks the number of trees near Lake Pflugerville makes the area feel “unfinished.” In February, city staff planted 26 more trees around the lake.
“I know they’re growing rapidly, but I think a huge way they can really boost the area is by investing in the landscape,” Vernachio said.
Although she considers the neighborhood tree project a step in the right direction, she doesn’t think the city should stop there.
“I still think Pflugerville, in general, should invest more in landscaping and public spaces for people, and just making sure that people feel like they can feel safe going there,” she said.
Looking ahead
Recipients of the tree program choose where the tree is planted on their property, with preference to front yards so the whole neighborhood may benefit. The next tree planting event will be April 5. In case of inclement weather, a make-up event will be held the following week.
Residents can request to receive a tree by visiting www.pflugervilletx.gov/944/pforestry. Volunteers can sign up at www.pflugervilletx.gov/945/tree-volunteer-form.
