Garden Topics:
Why
Trees Matter
With Arbor Day in April, this is the perfect time to
think about trees and what benefits they provide.
Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air
conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20–50 percent in
energy used for heating, according to the USDA Forest Service.
When planted as a windbreak on the north side of the house, they
can lower winter energy usage and decrease heating bills. A
large shade tree planted on the western exposure will cool the
house in summer, saving up to 50% on air conditioning costs.
Stately shade trees, beautiful flowering trees, and even
fruit trees have been shown to raise property values by up to
20% when included in the landscape. Trees can also be a stimulus
to economic development, attracting new business and tourism.
Commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers,
apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in
a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent, according to
studies done by The Arbor Day Foundation.
US Forest Service says that planting trees translates to
improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion.
This allows more recharging of the ground water supply and means
less water going into storm drains.
Planting trees is also good for your health as trees improve
the overall air quality by filtering out pollutants and toxins
in the air. In laboratory research done by Texas A&M
University, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced
significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as
indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension. Clean
air and less stress are always welcome additions to our daily
life!
In a recent study done by the National Wildlife Federation,
there are about 60– to 200-million spaces along our city streets
where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential
to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4
billion in energy costs. Studies conducted by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture found that one acre of forest absorbs
six tons of carbon dioxide and produces four tons of oxygen.
This spring, plant a tree with your children,
grandkids, or neighbor children. It sets the right example.
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