If you’re thinking of planting a new tree in your yard, put down the shovel and check out this new guide from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The Michigan Communities Trees Species Selection Guide helps homeowners and communities select trees that will thrive in any given space.
“Think of this guide as a menu of tree species with information to help you make an informed decision when you want to plant,” said Lawrence Law, forester with the DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.
The guide highlights tree species that work well in managed landscapes such as residential streets and neighborhoods, city and village downtowns, parks and urban green spaces, private yards, and hospital, school and business campuses.
“In these types of spaces, trees can provide shade, make the street more beautiful, help manage stormwater and reduce noise,” Law said.
One feature of the guide is that it rates trees on a scale of 1 to 10 based on their suitability and adaptability for urban environments. It also provides information about each species’ mature height, shape, colors and flowers, and other attributes.
Experts recommend planting a variety of trees so that a devastating insect or disease affecting a single species won’t leave a community bare.
“Communities should put time and thought into tree selection just as they do with other city infrastructure. We hope this makes that process easier,” Law said.
Once you’ve selected your next tree and before you dig a hole, be sure to call 811 or got the MISS DIG website to check for underground utilities.
Find a searchable version of the guide here. For more tips and to mark new trees on the DNR’s tree map – they’re trying to plant 50 million trees by 2030, click here.
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