On the Value of Trees and Open Space
by Elizabeth Brabec

Read first few paragraphs of article:

... Trees and open space, whether public parkland or privately owned farmland and recreation areas, are our communities' most precious resources. As with all natural and scenic resources, it is important to conserve them since once gone, they are often lost forever.

Within the world of business and development, the organizing force is the bottom line -- how profitable will this business or development be for its investors? The economic bottom line is often used as the reason for opposing conservation regulations, and maximizing the development of land. But there is a growing body of evidence that shows that resource conservation is important to the bottom line of business and development. ...