Author Archives: kitsmediatech

Take a “forest bath”

Did you know that high stress levels can compromise your immune system? By reducing these levels, your body’s natural defense system is able to work its magic. Trees release oils into the air, called phytoncides, and inhaling these natural essences can actually help to boost your immune system. Learn more at https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/guide-forest-bathing/ Research conducted in […]

7 tips for buying a home with large trees

A mature tree can add $1,000 to $10,000 to the value of your home, reduce your heating and cooling bills, clean the air, improve your attitude, and help your curb appeal. But when buying a home with large trees, have them checked for these seven important issues. A good certified arborist like Arbutus Tree Service […]

Surprise trees in the Sahara Desert

Satellite imagery has become the biggest tool for counting the world’s trees. A recent survey showed that a part of the Sahara “where no one would expect to find many trees” actually had “quite a few hundred million”. While forested areas are relatively easy to spot from space, trees that aren’t gathered in thick green […]

Find native trees and plants for your yard

Scientists and environmentalists urge us to see the plants in our gardens as part of nature and not just exterior decoration to be kept as pristine as possible. Native trees that need a bit of water like local species of willow, cottonwood and maple support a kaleidoscope of life. Shrubs like hazelnut, dogwood and native […]

10 tips for planting under trees

As a tree grows and its branches and roots expand, the area around it can become a barren wasteland. The tree roots quickly soak up all available water and do a great job of blocking the sun, so few plants thrive there. However, it is possible and relatively easily to create a lovely, dense fill […]

Hugging the Arbutus tree

Botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger recommends that people living on the West Coast “should hug the broad-leafed and cinnamon-coloured Arbutus tree (Arbutus menzeisii), especially in April or May”. That’s when it produces buds and come into flower. She suggests you put your hands on the trunk of the tree and lean against it and breathe in the […]

How much is your tree worth?

A single tree featured in a home yard has a higher dollar value than a tree in the middle of a forest. Trees rated by an assessor like Arbutus Tree Service as having perfect form and in peak health are more valuable than diseased, poorly shaped specimens. Well-cared-for trees are more valuable than trees with […]