03/26/2026
We need more trees in Boca Raton!🥦🧚♂️🙆♂️
Before you cut that tree down, know what lives in it.
A single mature oak tree supports:
→ 500+ species of caterpillars (primary food for nesting songbirds)
→ 100+ species of other insects
→ Squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons (in cavities and branches)
→ Screech owls, woodpeckers, nuthatches (in holes)
→ Hawks, crows, jays (nesting in canopy)
→ Bats (under loose bark)
→ Fungi, lichens, mosses (on bark)
→ It produces thousands of acorns feeding 30+ species
A 75-year-old tree took 75 YEARS to become that.
You can't replace it. A new sapling won't support that level of life for decades.
BEFORE cutting any tree:
→ Check for active nests (it's illegal to destroy nests with eggs or young — Migratory Bird Treaty Act)
→ Have an arborist assess if the tree is truly hazardous or just inconvenient
→ Consider pruning instead of removal
→ If removal is necessary: schedule it September-January (outside nesting season)
→ Keep the stump (it becomes habitat for insects, fungi, and salamanders)
→ Plant 2-3 native replacement trees
A mature tree provides an estimated $50,000+ in ecosystem services:
→ Air filtration
→ Carbon storage
→ Stormwater management
→ Cooling shade (reduces AC bills 20-25%)
→ Property value increase
Your tree isn't a problem to solve.
It's a 50-year-old apartment building housing hundreds of tenants.
All of them pay rent in ecosystem services. 🌳
