Trees: An Essential Part of Bozeman’s Existing and Future Neighborhoods

Have you ever ducked under a tree when it’s raining or too hot to sit out in the sun? We’re grateful when we do. On some level, we’re hardwired to seek comfort from trees. When we were little, we learned that animals, like us, can breathe because of trees.

When something or someone is always there, however, we might begin to not even notice them – maybe even take them for granted. The same is true of our urban forest canopy.

The Bozeman Urban Forestry Management Plan (2016) discusses “the important role the City has in engaging the public to raise awareness of the urban forest, given that at least half of the urban forest is on private property.”

Yet, despite Bozeman’s plentiful plans and codes, the City has lost many trees to demolition and development in the past year. For example, over 140 native, mature cottonwood trees were bulldozed at the Canyon Gate site (intersection of Story Mill Road and Bridger Drive) alone.

Kurk Street Forest, Southwest Bozeman. Photo by C. Mcqueary

To avoid repeating that mistake, the Unified Development Code (UDC) must be revised to include clear and enforceable environmental protections codes.

Why are trees as important as the housing we live in? Urban forests sequester and store carbon, hold soil in place, and cool the earth and waterways beneath them, among other ecosystems services that we all enjoy, no matter our demographics. Ettinger et al. 2024 concludes “Our findings highlight the value of trees in mitigating urban heat, especially given the expected warming with climate change. Protecting existing urban trees and increasing tree coverage are important actions to enhance climate change resilience of urban areas.”

The good news is that protecting existing trees makes good economic sense, not only by avoiding the cost of re-planting efforts but also by retaining the ecosystem service values that mature trees provide. Matt Lee, Senior Forester of Green Infrastructure Center Inc., during a 2023 Branch Out Bozeman workshop aimed at expanding Bozeman’s tree canopy stated, “Trees are the only infrastructure where the value of them appreciates over time versus everything else which depreciates. So, your pipes, your wires, your roads, all those things depreciate over time. Trees are the only ones that are going to gain in value as you plant them.” During the same workshop, it was estimated that increasing Bozeman’s urban forest tree canopy by just 3% (32,692 canopy and understory trees) would cost almost $10,000,000. While tree planting is an important action, so is tree protection, which takes much less time, money, and luck.

The Bozeman Tree Coalition (BTC) is an emerging grassroots organization working to protect the ecological function (e.g., natural nutrient cycling) of Bozeman’s urban forest and the ecosystem services it provides to the Bozeman Community as a whole. BTC wants nothing more than to help our City become the best land and water steward it can be.

Housing and trees can coexist. Be part of the solution. Click here to connect with Bozeman Tree Coalition.

Former cottonwood grove, Northeast Bozeman. Photo by M. Kaveney

This Commentary was contributed by the Bozeman Tree Coalition.