Many urban areas across the U.S. have lost about one-third of their trees in the last 25 years, in large part because of suburban sprawl and development, according to a survey by American Forests, a conservation group. Seattle is a prime example of this trend, the group noted as it convened in the city for a conference this week. In 1972, 10 percent of Seattle land was heavily treed; by 1996, the number had fallen to 5 percent. The city is working to re-green its land: Mayor Paul Schell has called for planting 20,000 trees by Earth Day 2000 and King County, where Seattle in located, is expected to announce today a public-private initiative to plant 200,000 trees in the area.
