Why Invest in Your Trees?

We all like trees (at Practiced Hands, we love them!), but do know about all of the interesting ways that trees benefit us, our properties, and our communities? Read on to learn some of the reasons to invest in the trees around you!

Annual Financial Benefits from One Single Tree

Storm Water: A large tree can capture and retain as much as 332 gallons of water for a tree with a crown of 33’ in diameter.

Cooling: With the right amount of tree cover, you can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The effect is quite noticeable from neighborhood to neighborhood, even down to the scale of a city block.

Stress: In 2004, Japan’s National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization conducted an experiment and discovered that a forest stroll had beneficial effects on blood pressure, heart rate and immune system. They also found that people who just looked a forest view for 20 minutes had a 13% lower concentration of cortisol.

Heart Disease: A team of scientists has been analyzing the health effects of a lack of foliage, specifically in the city of Detroit where the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle has killed many trees. Based on data pulled from the Women’s Health Initiative Survey, those in EAB-ravaged areas were 25% more likely to suffer from certain kinds of cardiovascular disease.

ADHD: A study of more than 400 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has found a link between the children’s routine play settings and the severity of their symptoms. Those who regularly play in outdoor settings with lots of green (grass, trees, shrubs, etc.) have milder ADHD symptoms than those that play indoors or in built outdoor environments.

Asthma: The University of Exeter’s medical school has found that people living in polluted urban areas are far less lively to be admitted to the hospital with asthma when there is a high number of trees in their neighborhood.

Socializing: Researches at the University of Illinois studied a large housing development and found that those residents who lived with trees nearby socialized with their neighbors more, felt safer, and suffered 52% lower crimes. They felt more emotionally and physically heathier than those in treeless areas.

Healing Properties: New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital was redesigned so that all recovery wards have a view of Central Park. Roger Ulrich, director of the Center for Health Systems and Designs at Texas A&M University found that just being in a green space reduced stress levels and blood pressure in patients.

Local Business: The more trees and landscaping that a business district has, the more business that district will see. A tree-lined street will also slow traffic.

Crime: A team of environment researchers at the University of Vermont report an inverse relationship between tree canopy and variety of crimes in the city of Baltimore and county regions. They concluded that a 10% increase in tree canopy was associated with roughly a 12% decrease in crime.