Benefits of Trees 

Trees provide social, communal, environmental, and economic benefits. 

Trees provide benefits that promote health, social wellbeing, and even help your home. Trees serve many purposes in your local community and throughout the entire world. 

Social Benefits

 • Trees provide beauty and help people feel serene, peaceful, restful and tranquil. • Trees significantly reduce workplace stress and fatigue and decrease recovery time after medical procedures. • Trees may help reduce criminal activity. 

Economic Benefits

 • Property values of landscaped homes are 5%– 20% higher than non-landscaped homes. • Individual trees have value that is affected by size, condition, and function. In general, the larger the tree, the greater the value. • Air conditioning costs are lower in a tree-shaded home; and heating costs are reduced when a home has a windbreak. • Well-maintained trees can add value to a home. 

Communal Benefits

 • City trees often serve architectural and engineering functions by providing privacy, emphasizing views or obstructing objectionable views. • Trees may reduce glare/reflection or direct pedestrian traffic. • Trees may soften, complement, or 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. 

Environmental Benefits

 • Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles; absorbing carbon dioxide and various air pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide; and release oxygen. • Deciduous shade trees cool homes in the summer and allow the winter sun to heat homes when they lose their leaves. • Trees help cool the environment, working as a simple and effective way to reduce urban heat islands (pavement and buildings in commercial areas cause higher temperatures by absorbing the sun’s heat).  • Trees can serve as a windbreak. The more compact the foliage on the group of trees the more effective the windbreak.  • Trees intercept water, store some of it, and reduce stormwater runoff.