Renaissance MAY 2024

8 - The Soulard Renaissance - MAY 2024 It’s spring — or at least it’s supposed to be. As I write this the weather keeps vacillating fromwintry chill to summer swelter. That’s St. Louis, I suppose. I’d much prefer as many weeks of window weather as possible, but I know that sooner rather than later I’ll be com- pelled to turn on the AC. Before that happens, I should change the filter. HVAC filters may lack the romantic charm of a painstakingly restored 3-over-3 sash window, but their replace- ment is part of a basic seasonal mainte- nance routine. That’s probably old news tomany of you, but if you’re a new home owner it’s one of those important things to know. It also doesn’t hurt to know as a renter, both because some landlords don’t change them often enough and because spending a little more on the HOUSEKEEPING: Time to change your HVAC filters By John Cline How do you make the concrete jungle of St. Louis amore healthy, pleasant place to live? Could trees be part of the answer? Trees reduce rainwater runoff, improve air quality, muffle noise, cool homes and sidewalks, and support wildlife. On top of that, trees support a sense of peace, safety and mental health. This is a tough job, especially in the city. What do we give trees in return? Where’s the love? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the trees received the same care once they were planted that they received at the nursery? Many people love planting trees but are not aware of the ongoing care that is necessary. Sadly, approximately 20% of young urban trees don’t survive. It is especially unfortunate that the St. Louis Forestry Division, like so many govern- ment agencies, is woefully understaffed and underfunded. With more than 80,000 street trees and 25,000-plus park trees, they lack resources for proactive care of public trees. In the past, there was no organized program to support tree care. STLNeigh- borhood Foresters plans to fill that void. We are a stewardship group focused on community-led volunteer tree care. The mission is to empower residents to im- prove the health and density of our urban tree canopy by providing routine care to their neighborhood trees. The Forestry Division has bravely agreed to explore the premise that, with proper training and equipment, Rooted in Care, Growing in Community By Brenda Switzer basic tree care can be performed by residents. These volunteers will mulch, water, clearance prune, inventory and protect street and park trees. As much as possible, they will prevent small tree problems from growing into Forestry Division headaches. Accessible technology now makes ur- ban forestry stewardship by volunteers possible. STL Neighborhood Foresters has developed a web app that allows resi- dents to “adopt” trees. These volunteers will have the tools and training to water and mulch them. This will help trees grow and have a long, productive life in the urban canopy. What began as a pilot program, Benton Park West Neighborhood Foresters, is having a ripple effect in St. Louis. With groups like The Friends of Willmore Park, Forest Park SE, Holly Hills Neigh- borhood and several other neighbor- hood groups expressing interest in train- ing and tree care events, the St. Louis urban canopy is improving one tree at a time, neighborhood by neighborhood. The eventual goal is to have a tree team in all the city’s 78 neighborhoods. St. Louis definitely needs more trees, but planting is only the start. We would welcome your support and assistance as we grow this program. Contact us if your neighborhood is interested in starting their own Neighborhood For- esters Program. Please sign up for more information and updates at STLNeigh- borhoodForesters.org. better filter is in your best interest, if not theirs. The discussion that follows also kicks off a recurring series in The Soulard Renaissance where I talk about the importance of a different one of those seasonal maintenance routines in a new feature called “Housekeeping.” Most HVAC system maintenance is outside a typical homeowner’s comfort zone as it involves highly flammable gasses, high voltage electricity, or both. More modern HVAC systems also depend on complex electronic control systems. But a filter is, at its core, just a bit of paper. It’s a consumable part, and the one element of an HVAC system that takes no special skill or knowledge to replace. You only need to determine the location of the existing filter, remove Continued on Page 9