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Tree Benefits for our Homes

Just a brief visit to any neighborhood filled with trees illustrates the impact trees have on our sense of well-being. Trees improve your home in many ways:

• Trees Mean Green: Trees add as much as 20% to the value of your property. They have intrinsic value too. Whether its fall color, spring flowers, or summer fruits, trees bring beauty to the landscape. By planting trees, you plant great places to live and relax.
• Shade to Save: Trees planted west or southwest of our homes and offices shade our rooftops, outside walls, and windows when the sunlight is brightest and hottest. This helps you save energy and lower your utility bills. Reduced home energy consumption also cleans our air through lower emissions from power plants.
• Trees are Great Umbrellas: Trees help clean and cool water, and intercept rainwater reducing the amount of water that runs off buildings, concrete and roads. Trees help control stormwater runoff — a major source of pollution in urban areas. Have a soggy spot in your yard? Plant a tree! Trees are a great part of a Rainscape.
• Natural Sounds, not Neighborhood Sounds: Your trees reduce the noise you perceive at home— so enjoy the sights and sounds of the trees near you.
  
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Tree Benefits for our Community

• Trees & Crime: Green neighborhoods with lots of trees have lower crime rates than barren, concrete environments. There are fewer acts of aggression by people, including drivers, and there are fewer cases of domestic abuse. Trees foster safer, more sociable neighborhoods.
• Trees and Children: Children who have parks and trees to play around concentrate better. Studies show that the effects of AD/HD are lessened. When there is a view of greenery out of their windows, studies also indicate that girls have better self-discipline. So plant trees for your children (and their children)!
• Trees and Neighborhoods: When neighborhoods are full of trees residents spend more time outside mingling with neighbors; building personal ties, stronger communities, and a greater sense of well being.
• For more information on the research mentioned here, visit the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Landscape and Human Health Laboratory website:http://lhhl.uiuc.edu/research.htm
  
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Tree Benefits for our Businesses

• Shoppers are attracted to and linger longer on tree-lined streets — that means more sales and profits.
•  Shoppers prefer and patronize shops with greener parking lots Office and industrial space in wooded settings are more in demand and more valuable to sell or rent.
  

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Tree Benefits for our Environment

• Trees clean and cool our air
• Trees clean and cool our water
• Trees reduce stormwater runoff and soil erosion
• Trees reduce negative effects from greenhouse gases
• Trees lessen the urban ‘heat island effect’
• Trees save energy
  • How can Summer Shade save energy?
  • How can Winter Windbreaks save energy?
• Trees support wildlife and increase plant diversity
• Trees provide food and shelter for birds and many forms of wildlife. Trees and forests support diverse plant communities.
• Streams need trees - trees shade streams keeping water cooler which is important for fish and aquatic insects to be able to survive. Trees also clean the water and fallen leaves provide food and shelter for critters living in streams. 
  
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