The English Riveria resort of Torbay is the first Local Authority in the UK to use new impact software to quantify the economic benefit of trees for the town.

Traditionally the subject of endless scepticism and the source of more resident complaints than litter, trees get a bad rap in Torbay but the town’s Local Authority wants to change all that.

It is hoped that by using revolutionary American software to calculate the benefits the town’s 28,000 trees bring, officials will be able to demonstrate the value of trees and reduce negative attitudes towards them.

Measuring variables including reduction of air pollution, flood alleviation and energy saved due to summer shade and slower winter heat loss, the i-Tree software has already been a hit elsewhere.

When it was put into action in New York it concluded that every dollar spent on tree planting and maintenance brought 5.6 dollars of benefits.

Torbay’s Local Authority will no doubt be hoping for equally as compelling evidence when the results of its own survey are published in early 2011.

What's more, Torbay isn’t the only town totting up what trees have to offer. Since the seaside resort started working with the i-Tree software, Bristol, Luton and the London Boroughs of Camden and Islington have all expressed an interest in doing the same.

We’ll keep you posted on the results…