Spring is here and as the weather warms up, our thoughts turn to planting trees.  Trees have many benefits – they add color and brighten our properties, especially in the fall.  They provide shade, cooling us in the hot summer months.  Healthy, mature trees can also add to the value of our homes.  Most of us do not think of another benefit trees provide – managing stormwater runoff.

Trees and forests play an incredible role in reducing the volume and rate of stormwater runoff in several ways.   Tree canopies intercept and capture rainfall, reducing the amount that reaches the ground. In urban and suburban settings, a single deciduous tree can intercept between 500 and 760 gallons per year, while a mature evergreen can intercept over 4,000 per year!

Trees also consume stormwater through a process called evapotranspiration. Water is taken up by roots and move up through the tree until it is transpired back into the atmosphere as water vapor. A single mature oak tree can transpire over 40,000 gallons of water each year.

Tree roots allow for better infiltration of rainfall, especially when compared to turf grass.  Tree roots penetrate deep, which allows rain water to soak in deeper.  If more storm water is able to soak into, or infiltrate, the ground, standing water problems are reduced and there is less runoff entering ditches and storm sewers, which can prevent downstream drainage problems.

In addition to reducing stormwater runoff, trees are also very good at removing pollutants, particularly nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates which are some of the most common pollutants in Clermont County streams.

So as your thinking about all the outdoor improvements you would like to accomplish this summer, consider planting a tree.  You’ll add beauty to your yard – and help manage stormwater at the same time.

On Wednesday May 2nd, Cincinnati Reds All Star right fielder Jay Bruce visited the baseball complex at the Batavia Township Community Center, 1535 Clough Pike and announced that one of the 4 baseball fields will be converted to serve as the home field for the UC Clermont Cougars. The conversion is being financially supported by Jay thru the Reds Community Fund however Jay has asked that the field be named not for himself but for Brian Wilson who was a Reds scout who discovered Jay and died tragically from a heart attack at 33 years old.

Currently the UC Clermont Cougars travel several miles from their campus in Batavia Township to Blue Ash where they practice and play their games on the old Crosley Field. Their new home will be only a few minutes from their Batavia campus and will almost certainly attract a much larger following from students and the public.

Field design will begin soon and work will begin late summer to accommodate a spring 2013 opening at which time Jay Bruce will be back out to open the field. Below are a couple of links regarding the announcement.

News Conference:
www.clermontcountyohio.gov

Jay Bruce interview:
www.clermontcountyohio.gov

UC Clermont Baseball Players:
www.clermontcountyohio.gov

The Batavia Township Board of Trustees are proud to announce that Batavia Township Community Center and park located at 1535 Clough Pike in Batavia will be the site for the Reds Rookie Success League of Clermont County.  The Reds Rookie Success League is a coed, character-building, introductory baseball program for children ages 7-10 years of age. The program meets twice each week for four weeks, beginning on June 11th through July 3rd. Participants will receive a character-based curriculum as well as fundamental baseball/softball instruction from volunteer coaches.

The program is free to children and is underwritten by the Reds Community Fund but restrictions apply so please visit www.redsyouthbaseball.org for more information.

More than 75 volunteers will be needed to facilitate the program and if you are interested please contact Gary Wilkins at gwilkens@fuse.net or 513-307-2538.