The Right Tree in the Right Place
07/01/2010

The Arbor Day Foundation encourages thoughtful practices that help preserve community trees while also benefiting Kentucky electric co-op consumers.

Trees can help cool your home and neighborhood, break cold winds to lower your heating costs, and provide food for wildlife. Properly placed trees can lower line clearance costs for utility companies, reduce tree mortality, and result in healthier community forests.

Tall trees surrounding your home, such as maple, oak, pine and spruce, provide summer shade to lower cooling costs and keep out cold winter winds. Medium trees, 40 feet or less in mature height, might include Washington hawthorne and Golden raintree, while smaller trees suitable for planting beneath utility lines might include Redbud, Dogwood, and Crabapple.

When planting near utility lines, consider a 25 foot maximum mature height and 20 foot spread.

And, the Arbor Day Foundation knows just how well electric co-ops and trees go together and they are teaching the youngest consumers—this year's Arbor Day Foundation's National Poster Contest's theme was Trees are Terrific…and Energy Wise! Take a look at what thousands of fifth graders learned about the importance of trees in our electric cooperative world.

To learn more about which trees might work best in your yard, visit www.arborday.org.

Download a readable version of this file by clicking on the graphic above provided by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc. 4515 Bishop Lane * Louisville, KY  40218 502-451-2430 * FAX: 502-459-3209 Terms of Use