New York City mapped its trees and calculated each one’s economic benefits
I'm not sure I understand what it means to measure the "economic value of a tree". Yes, trees provide shade and reduce pollution, but does that really mean one can meaningfully attach a dollar value to a tree?<p>There are two statements that I think are meaningful: "this tree costs $X to plant and maintain", and "This tree provides benefits that would otherwise cost $X". But if you want to make the latter statement, are you <i>really</i> sure you've captured all the benefits? Including aesthetic ones? Because I'm not really convinced that's possible.