The Value of Trees

As more and more people live in towns and cities, the more we need an ‘urban canopy’ of trees.  Towns, cities, and neighborhoods benefit from a wealth of trees, because they provide more than shade and beauty.  Trees are much more than a pretty face.  Trees have so much more value.  

Here are some little known facts about the value of trees:

   Energy Savings

•     Just three strategically placed trees can decrease utility bills by 50 percent.
•     Streets with little or no shade need to be re-paved twice as often as those with 30 percent tree cover.
•     Trees reduce the amount of water runoff from rain and clean the water that does run off, saving billions of dollars otherwise needed for storm water control and water treatment facilities.

    Economic Improvement

•     Residential property values can increase five percent to 12 percent if landscaping includes trees.
•     Workers with views of green spaces from their desks report 23 percent fewer instances of illness.

    Environmental Health

•    Each year an acre of trees absorbs the amount of carbon produced by driving a car for 26,000 miles.
•    Trees cool city heat islands by 10 degrees to 20 degrees, thus reducing ozone levels and helping cities meet the air quality standards required for disbursement of federal funds.
•    By creating shade, trees moderate temperatures both globally and in the micro-climates of cities and counties.
•    One acre of forests absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide annually and puts out over four tons of oxygen.  This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.
•    Trees increase humidity in dry climates through evaporation of water from their leaves into the atmosphere.

 
   Social and Safety for Residents

•     Crime rates decrease in areas with more greenery.
•     Access to green areas reduces stress and aggression for people who live in urban environments.

 
    Educational

•     Children who have a view of greenery in their lives perform better in school.
•     Increased exposure to nature enhances the ability of children to follow directions.
•     Access to green spaces relieves the symptoms of attention deficit disorder (ADD), resulting in better concentration.

 
There is tremendous value in having trees in populated areas.  They enhance the quality of our lives in countless ways.  Developing a healthy tree canopy, however, takes time.  It is through the incremental planting and growth of many individual trees, accumulated over a long period of time that can produce a measurable change in our living spaces.  And with that substantial change, we gain the significant benefits of a full-fledged ‘urban forest’.  For more information about National NeighborWoods Month™ and the wealth of research on the benefits of trees, check out www.actrees.org .