The Right Tree for the Right Place
To get the most from your FREE SHADE TREE, it will need to be located in the
RIGHT PLACE to gain the most shade benefit for your home, while avoiding
conflicts with power lines, existing trees, buildings and other nearby
features to prevent future problems. The Our City Forest representative will
take into consideration all of the guidelines below while serving you to ensure
the “right tree is planted in the right place” to maximize energy savings.
Plan your tree planting location considering the eventual size, both the
height and the spread, of your new shade tree to prevent years of headaches
and pruning. Both large and medium trees are offered, some of which grow as
tall as 65 feet and spread as wide as 70 feet. So, select the shade tree best
suited for your planting site.
Tree size and the best locations — on the west, south or east sides of your house
When planting a tree for shade benefits, you will want to focus first on shading
windows, walls, roofs, porches and patios. Placing trees to the west and south
will provide a shield from the hottest summer sun. Trees planted on the east
side provide shade from the morning sun.
To determine the best locations for a shade tree in your yard, first use a compass
or other means to determine which direction is north. Then look at the west, south
and east sides of your house and see if there is enough room to plant a shade tree
in your yard. The best-energy saving locations for your shade tree, as shown in
the illustration above, are on the west side. This side offers the most options to
use either medium or large trees placed at different distances to achieve desired
shading and energy savings. As shown in the illustration, large trees can be
planted further away from your house and still provide shade, since taller
trees cast a longer shadow. In addition, on the west side, medium size trees
planted closer to the house — within 15-30 feet — can also provide energy saving
shade. On the south and east sides, shading options are limited to large trees
planted 15 feet away from your house.
On the enclosed Shade Tree Pilot Application, indicate which size FREE SHADE TREE
you would prefer from the five available species. You will also need to indicate
approximately where you plant to plant it, based on the seven tree size location
options shown in the diagram.
Remember when selecting your Shade Tree location to consider and avoid:
• Overhead power lines — plant medium and large trees 30 feet or more away
• Pad-mounted electric transformers — plant 6 feet away
• The base of power poles — plant 10 feet away
• Potential locations of underground utilities
• Blocking solar panels
To get the most from your FREE SHADE TREE, it will need to be located in the
RIGHT PLACE to gain the most shade benefit for your home, while avoiding
conflicts with power lines, existing trees, buildings and other nearby
features to prevent future problems. The Our City Forest representative will
take into consideration all of the guidelines below while serving you to ensure
the “right tree is planted in the right place” to maximize energy savings.
Plan your tree planting location considering the eventual size, both the
height and the spread, of your new shade tree to prevent years of headaches
and pruning. Both large and medium trees are offered, some of which grow as
tall as 65 feet and spread as wide as 70 feet. So, select the shade tree best
suited for your planting site.
Tree size and the best locations — on the west, south or east sides of your house
When planting a tree for shade benefits, you will want to focus first on shading
windows, walls, roofs, porches and patios. Placing trees to the west and south
will provide a shield from the hottest summer sun. Trees planted on the east
side provide shade from the morning sun.
To determine the best locations for a shade tree in your yard, first use a compass
or other means to determine which direction is north. Then look at the west, south
and east sides of your house and see if there is enough room to plant a shade tree
in your yard. The best-energy saving locations for your shade tree, as shown in
the illustration above, are on the west side. This side offers the most options to
use either medium or large trees placed at different distances to achieve desired
shading and energy savings. As shown in the illustration, large trees can be
planted further away from your house and still provide shade, since taller
trees cast a longer shadow. In addition, on the west side, medium size trees
planted closer to the house — within 15-30 feet — can also provide energy saving
shade. On the south and east sides, shading options are limited to large trees
planted 15 feet away from your house.
On the enclosed Shade Tree Pilot Application, indicate which size FREE SHADE TREE
you would prefer from the five available species. You will also need to indicate
approximately where you plant to plant it, based on the seven tree size location
options shown in the diagram.
Remember when selecting your Shade Tree location to consider and avoid:
• Overhead power lines — plant medium and large trees 30 feet or more away
• Pad-mounted electric transformers — plant 6 feet away
• The base of power poles — plant 10 feet away
• Potential locations of underground utilities
• Blocking solar panels
