03/12/10

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) _ A new study commissioned by the U.S.
Forest Service shows northern Idaho's Kootenai County has room for
at least 600,000 more trees.

The study covered 118 square miles and attempted to quantify the
contributions tree cover provides to communities.

David Stephenson with the Idaho Department of Lands says people
intuitively recognize that tree cover is valuable, saving energy by
providing cooling shade in the summer. The study found the trees
filter air pollution, soak up storm water and protect the purity of
the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.

The Spokesman-Review study also found that tree canopies cover
about 14 percent of the city of Coeur d'Alene. The city has a goal
of increasing that canopy to 30 percent.

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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