By TreesAreGood®
International Society of Arboriculture
TAG Benefits of Trees 1 (2017-01-23) by espiegleTreesAreGood®
Benefits of Trees
Trees provide a number of great benefits that extend far beyond the beauty they bring to the landscape.
Social Benefits
Trees provide beauty and help people feel serene, peaceful, restful and tranquil. They significantly reduce workplace stress and fatigue. The presence of trees has also been linked to reducing the recovery time after medical procedures and a reduction in criminal activity.
Economic Benefits
Well-maintained trees can add value to a home. The property values of landscaped homes are generally 5-20% higher. Homes shaded by trees traditionally have lower air conditioning costs; while heating cost can be reduced when the landscape has trees that serve as a windbreak for the home.
Environmental Benefits
By utilizing their leaves to filter the air we breathe, trees remove dust and other particles while absorbing carbon dioxide and various other pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.
Temperature Control
Trees help cool the environment, working as a simple and effective way to reduce urban heat islands. Deciduous shade trees cool homes in the summer and allow the winter sun to heat homes when they lose their leaves. Trees intercept water, store some of it and reduce stormwater runoff.
Communal Benefits
City trees can reduce glare and reflection, direct pedestrian traffic, and enhance architecture. Trees bring natural elements and wildlife habitats into urban surroundings, all of which increase the quality of life for residents in the community.
Trees Require an Investment
It can be costly to remove a mature tree and you will lose many benefits that a younger, replacement tree cannot make up quickly. Extending the functional lifespan of mature trees with routine maintenance can delay these expenses and maximize returns.
Help Caring For Your Trees
An informed home owner can be responsible for many tree maintenance practices. Corrective pruning and mulching gives young trees a good start. Large shade trees, however, quickly grow to a size that may require the services of a professional arborist.
Visit TreesAreGood.org for more information and free, downloadable brochures.
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