A group of scientists and researchers from 33 Iowa colleges and universities says trees can help Iowans deal with the higher temperatures and intense rainfall expected in the decades to come. University of Iowa professor Heather Sander says trees and woodlands absorb “a huge volume” of water.
“That will reduce flooding,” she says. “Their roots will also hold soil in place, keeping it from washing away.”
Sander’s research focuses on urban ecosystems and she says the cooling effect of trees helps reduce electric costs. “We mustn’t forget also that trees provide wildlife habitat, clean air, they enhance the beauty of our cities and landscapes,” Sander says. “They provide many benefits beyond climate adaptation and mitigation.”
Iowa State University professor Jan Thompson says the derecho storms of August of 2020 and December of last year destroyed many mature trees in Iowa — the trees she describes as the hardest workers at addressing climate issues like heat and flooding.
“It is going to take time to replace especially the function of those large, older trees for sure,” Thompson says.
Thompson suggests Iowans need to pick up the pace of planting new trees.
“An extreme event…gets everybody’s attention and gets, you know, a lot of excitement and enthusiasm around planting trees, so we definitely have stepped it up,” Thompson says, “but our rate of planting in general has not kept up with just, you know, typical mortality.”
This is the 12th year the group of professors from around the state has issued a Climate Statement. Before planting a tree, the group recommends using i-Tree software from the USDA’s Forest Service to find out which species of trees are best to plant in Iowa.