Having trees in your yard has many benefits. Here are just a few. Trees…
- Increase your home and property value1
- Provide shade and reduce the need for air conditioning in summer and heating in winter2
- Absorb CO2 and play a major role in fighting climate change.3
- Reduce depression, anxiety and stress4
- Reduce urban noise5
- Enrich the air and reduce pollution.6
- Improve groundwater quality & reduce chemicals in streams.7
- Reduce traffic speed. Vehicles move more slowly down tree-lined streets.
- Absorb rain water to prevent flooding, and reduce storm water runoff.
- Provide homes and food for song birds and other small animals.
1VALUE
Having large trees in yards along streets increases a home’s value from 3 percent to 15 percent. (City Trees and Property Values. Arborist News. 16, 4:34-36)
Healthy, mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property’s value. (USDA Forest Service)
Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent. (Management Information Services/ICMA)
2HEATING AND COOLING
Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20–50 percent in energy used for heating. (USDA Forest Service)
The evaporation from a young, healthy tree can produce the cooling effect equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3 percent less. In 15 years, the savings will be nearly 12 percent. (Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research)
3CARBON AND OXYGEN
One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out enough oxygen to meet the needs of 18 people. (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)
4WELL-BEING
Those living in neighborhoods with more vegetation often suffer less from depression, anxiety, and stress (Growing Together, Davy Trees)
Studies have also shown that spending time around trees and at trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. Visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes. (Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University)
5NOISE REDUCTION
Trees can reduce noise pollution by as much as 40 percent. (Canopy.org)
See Conservation Buffers by the US Forest Service, pages 94-95 (https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/buffers/docs/conservation_buffers.pdf)
6AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION
Roadside trees reduce nearby indoor air pollution by more than 50%.
(Lancaster University, UK, 2013)
In the US alone, trees save more than 850 lives and prevent 670,000 incidents of acute respiratory symptoms a year by removing air pollution. (Growing Together, Davey Trees)
7WATER QUALITY
The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams. (USDA Forest Service)
Mature trees can lift up to 100 gallons of water out of the ground and discharge it into the air every day.
DID YOU KNOW?
Every dollar spent on planting and caring for a community tree yields benefits that are 2 to 5 times that investment—benefits include cleaner air, lower energy costs, improved water quality and storm water control and increased property values. (U.S. Forest Service, 2011)
Trees enhance economic stability by attracting businesses; people linger and shop longer when trees are present. (Canopy.org)
Neighborhoods with well-shaded streets can be up to 6-10 degrees cooler than neighborhoods without street trees, reducing energy needs. (US Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research)
