FROM HELPING TO PROMOTE TOURISM TO CREATING JOBS, TREE GROUPS ARE PROVING THEY'RE A CASH CROP FOR COMMUNITIES.

Nonprofit tree groups are traditionally known for the environmental, social, and psychological support they give their communities. But as city leaders have discovered, well-run tree groups can also have a positive effect on tourism, unemployment, and property values. At the 8th National Urban Forest Conference, September 17 to 20 in Atlanta, several groups will share the secrets to their success.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES: CONCRETE VS. GREENERY

Why are citizen tree groups good for cities' economies? The answer is not as simple as you might think. We usually figure trees' cost-savings in terms of energy and stormwater management, but what of the human element? What of, for example, volunteer efforts that increase the flow of outside money by helping to promote tourism?

Savannah, Georgia, is a case in point. The Savannah Tree Foundation, established in 1982, has sought "to preserve, nurture, and plant trees to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations" through land easements, educational programs, and GIS-based studies. The result: a rebirth for the city's famous trees.

Savannah's citizens have long revered their live oaks. At the city's incorporation in 1733, leaders ordered the preservation of open spaces - or squares - at regular intervals. These squares came to dominate Savannah's landscape for more than 150 years. But when rapid development in the 1920's resulted in less open space, several of the squares - and their trees - fell victim to the concrete truck.

Today, leaders acknowledge they made a mistake by ignoring their trees. Residents aren't the only ones inspired by them - tourists are too.

"Tourism is a tremendous source of economic value in Savannah," says Kacey Ratterree, president of the Foundation's board. "People come to see our built environment, but they also feel a sense of appreciation for live oak canopied squares and the amenities afforded by these trees."

The Foundation's trees are grown for them at no charge by Union Camp. The city does its part by providing a free watering contract and maintaining the trees post-planting.

With minimal funding available, the Foundation depends on its volunteers and a small staff. But the staff's influence far outweighs its size. The Foundation's projects have focused attention on the need to preserve Savannah's legacy through its historic trees.

"People come here and are wowed by our trees," says Ratterree. "That gives us another reason to take responsibility for the health and viability of our urban forest."

ANOTHER REASON WHY TREES ARE GREEN

Increased tourism is only one way tree groups contribute to their cities' economies. Citizen-led groups also help local governments comply with environmental and clean air laws. With many cities strapped for money, volunteers are helping to pick up the slack.

Mary Sherfy, executive director of Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, says her organization plays a critical role in the successful implementation of state forestry goals. She should know: She and her staff have brokered several unlikely partnerships.

Since its founding in 1993, Forest ReLeaf has grown from a group working primarily in urban areas to one that plants trees across the state. With a volunteer army of 750 trained "Treekeepers," Forest ReLeaf supports everything from traditional tree plantings to elementary school educational programs.

"We're not just about bringing trees along. We're also about bringing volunteers along," Sherfy says.

During 1996, Forest ReLeaf launched Project Communitree with Lambert International Airport and Trust for Public Land. Their partnership resulted in a 10-acre tree nursery near the airport. They plan to hire a full-time forester and grow 50,000 trees, which will be distributed to tree planting groups across Missouri.

Similar stories are told by tree groups across the country. Rhonda Berry of San Jose's Our City Forest says her group is doing everything from reducing energy consumption to providing labor-intensive tree planting services. The city also benefits from the outside grants and financial support that Our City Forest regularly receives for its projects.

With only three full-time staff, Our City Forest relies heavily on its "Tree Amigos," 75 trained volunteers who act as coaches and facilitators at plantings. The Amigos have been both successful and prolific. Since 1994, they have planted more than 3,000 trees around 100 schools. A recent project in south-central San Jose drew support from many of the low-income residents, who helped plant 2,000 15-gallon shade trees in area neighborhoods. Because the Amigos live in the communities where they work, maintaining the trees is easy.

"Our attitude is, you've got to put your resources in the people first..." says Berry, adding, "our Tree Amigos are coaches - they're there to empower the neighborhood. Planting trees gives you power to make a difference."

PLANTING HOPE

Other tree groups support economic growth by conducting job training, which keeps people off the welfare rolls, and by helping to increase property values, which has both economic and psychological significance for residents of affected communities. In Boston, Roy Blomquist's for-profit organization GroundsControl is putting that theory to the test.

Blomquist has made a difference in hundreds of peoples' lives with a program that rose out of funding cuts. Working in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Urban Forestry, Blomquist empowers low-income residents through a specially designed training program in tree planting and landscaping.

Born during the Reagan era, GroundsControl was an offshoot of Boston Urban Gardeners (BUG), a group funded by the city of Boston. With the city no longer able to support such a large program, Blomquist struck out on his own.

"We found the needs of the public housing staff were large, but the crews had little training," says Blomquist. Using the manual to train people who work in the communities where they live, Blomquist was able to teach, plant, and watch the communities' pride grow simultaneously.

"Low-income people strive to get out of decline, to get to a place where their homes will have a condo-like landscape," he says. "But when they go up to these housing developments - with illegally dumped garbage, junked cars, and overgrown weeds - they start to feel like life looks this way and it always will. Basic landscape management can change that."

Because funding sources and program requirements change from year to year, Blomquist uses the manual as a starting point and adjusts to meet the needs of individual communities. What's most important, though, is that people get trained and work gets done, which, Blomquist says, "takes a burden off the city."

"Some people who did this program have become landscapers and started businesses," Blomquist says. "But they never would have advanced without these skills. The program allows them to learn by example and break the cycle of poverty."

But Blomquist is quick to add that economics is not the primary motivator for most tree groups.

"I love what I do," Blomquist says from his paper-filled desk at the Boston Housing Authority. "And if I don't do it, who will?"