Mature Tree Benefits
We tend to take them for granted, but trees do a lot for us. Picture the difference between walking down a hot street with nothing green around and no trees overhead. Now picture that same scene with mature trees along each side of the road, their branches long enough to touch in the middle making a green canopy above you. The pleasant feeling that comes over us when we’re out in nature not only makes us feel better, it actually protects and improves our health.
Mature trees provide environmental benefits, they increase property values, and improve quality of life too.
Consider these examples to better understand how valuable trees are to our everyday lives:
- Energy savings: Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30% with their shade, and can save 20-50% in energy used for heating by blocking wind, according to the USDA Forest Service.[1]
- Clean air: Trees release oxygen and absorb air pollution, including filtering out small particles that can cause respiratory health problems. On top of that, the energy savings trees provide also reduce the pollution associated with energy production.
- One study found that trees in Minneapolis removed or offset about 2 pounds of air pollution per tree.[2]
- Capturing storm water: Trees help our neighborhoods avoid flooding and save our storm water systems a bit of work—it’s estimated that one mature tree can intercept approximately 139,000 gallons of storm water annually.[3]
- Higher property values: Healthy trees can increase real estate values. When other benefits, including energy savings, are factored in, that means trees are one of the few home maintenance investments that increases in value over time!
- Benefits to businesses: Research shows that shoppers seek out retail areas with trees and once they get there, they stay longer and spend more.[4]
- Safer communities: Communities with green spaces and trees experience less crime—including everything from vandalism to violent offences.[5]
- Health benefits: Trees make us feel calmer, happier, and healthier.
- Trees in cities actually save an average of 1 life per city each year—in New York City that number climbs to 8 lives each year, according to a study conducted by the US Forest Service and Davey Institute.[6]
Learn more about the benefits of your trees with Arbor Day Foundation’s National Tree Benefit Calculator.
References
[1] USDA Forest Service research helps quantify the value of trees in communities across the nation
[2] City of Minneapolis, Minnesota municipal tree resource analysis
[3] USDA Forest Service Benefits of trees
[4] City Trees and Consumer Response in Retail Business Districts
[6] Urban trees remove fine particulate air pollution, save lives
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