DENVER, Colo. - A new study by American Forests of Washington, D.C., the national conservation group for trees and forests, reports that trees in Denver and seven other Northern Front Range cities of Colorado are providing services equivalent to a $44 million stormwater management system and removing 2.2 million pounds of air pollutants valued at $5.3 million per year.

The cooling shade form these same trees is saving homeowners $4.5 million per year in air conditioning costs, avoiding the production of 1.6 million tons of carbon emmissions from power plants annually, the study found. The study was presented by American Forests to Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and a number of city foresters last April, just prior to the state's Arbor Day.

American Forests analyzed satellite images from 1996 and 1998 for a 2.24 million-acre area from Denver to Ft. Collins and a more developed 425,000 acres around Denver, including 39 selected sites documented with aerial photographs and ground sampling. Analysis was performed with CITYgreen software with support from the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service, and the city forestry departments of Denver, Aurora, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Boulder, Louisville, Ft. Collins and Greeley.

"Colorado is known for its mountain forests and beauty," said Gary Moll, study coordinator and vice president of urban forestry at Amercan Forests, in a company press release. "But with the rapid growth of population and of urban areas here, it's vitally important to recognize and plan for the full environmental and economic value of urban and community forests."