Article by Alexis Alvey We explore the amazing benefits of trees , the benefits of trees that go unnoticed, beneath the surface but yet affect us all. The Beatles once said, “All you need is love.” But they were wrong – all you really need are trees! As we continue to learn more and more about trees – how they grow, the integral role they play in our lives, and their life-sustaining support of the global ecosystem – it becomes increasingly obvious how amazing trees really are. Most people think only about the environmental benefits of trees, but did you know that trees can also make a great positive impact socially and economically? Below are some little-known facts about trees that will transform you into a full-blown tree-lover… if you aren’t one already!
8 Amazing Benefits of Trees
8. Trees Reduce Crime
By providing an inviting place to gather, public green spaces can increase the perception of safety even within tough, inner-city neighborhoods. After analysis of crime patterns in a community in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., it was found that fewer violent and property crimes occurred in natural areas with dense trees and grass. Also, the trees and other vegetation may directly mitigate residents’ irritability, inattentiveness, and impulsive behavior, leading to fewer crimes.
Trees-in-the-landscape – More trees = Less crime. Image: Savannah Park with FountainCC BY-SA 3.0 by Fgrammen
7. Trees Increase Home Values
Don’t underestimate the value of curb appeal when it comes to trees and your home! Various studies from the East Coast of the United States have shown that when strategically located, healthy, well-maintained trees can increase the sale price of a home by 5-10%. Furthermore, homes with “excellent” landscapes can sell for 16-20% more than homes with “poor” landscapes.
Increase the sale price of your house by planting trees outside it. Image: Jacob Ten Broeck Stone House, Kingston, NYCC BY-SA 3.0, by Daniel Case
6. Trees Foster Community
Street trees and associated vegetation significantly contribute to residents’ feelings of a sense of community. Additionally, it has been found that urban greening efforts are an important aspect of a community’s social resiliency following disaster. Based on interviews conducted in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., it was found that replanting trees strengthened individuals’ resolve to rebuild their lives following Hurricane Katrina. WATCH >>> Investing From The Ground Up: Community Tree Success
5. Trees Bolster the Local Economy
Trees help local, Main Street businesses. It has been shown that downtown central business districts that feature streetscapes populated with trees are significantly more attractive to store patrons than business districts without trees. When streets are planted with trees, shoppers are more likely to attribute positive qualities to their shopping experience, stay longer, and are more willing to travel long distances to get there. With trees, patrons are even willing to pay approximately 10% more for products! Whoever said money doesn’t grow on trees? WATCH >>> Trees Provide Amazing Benefits
4. Trees Inspire Art, Literature, and Religion
Trees have had a huge impact on our global culture and have inspired innumerable works of art and literature. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree was a favorite book in my household, growing up. They have also played a central role in religion throughout history. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena became the patron deity of the city of Athens by offering its inhabitants the first Olive Tree (Olea europaea). In Christianity and Judaism, the Tree of Knowledge bears fruit that ultimately expulses Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. A last example, in Buddhism, Price Siddhartha Gautama attains enlightenment while meditating under the boughs of a Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa).
Buddha Head in Tree. By Tommy Tang – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
3. Trees Improve our Physical Health
Trees can actually improve our physical healing. In a seminal study of patients recovering from surgery, it was found that those who had a view of a wooded scene required less pain medication and had fewer complications than patients who had a view of a brick wall. Patients’ postoperative hospitalization was also found to be 8.5% shorter with a tree view, which could amount to several hundred million dollars in U.S. health care savings.
Fiona Stanley Hospital. Photo credit: Peter Bennetts
2. Trees Improve our Mental Health
It has long been recognized that trees and nature improve our spirits and mental wellbeing. More recently, getting outside in nature has been proposed as a specific antidote to the growing problems of attention deficit disorder and depression in children. We should take note of the Japanese practice of “forest bathing,” or Shinrin-yoku, where taking walks in the woods is used as a form of stress management and reconnecting with the greater world. WATCH >>> Real Fountain Of Youth | Forest Bathing
1. Trees Help us Decode History
Trees can also assist us in reconstructing the past through the advanced analysis of their tree rings. This is called the science of dendrochronology. Tree ring thickness is influenced by annual growing conditions, with warm, moist years producing wider growth rings, and cool, drought-filled years resulting in narrower growth rings. By looking at the pattern of growth rings across a region, historic climatic patterns can be reconstructed, giving us an intriguing glimpse into the past. Other useful applications of dendrochronology include the dating of historic wooden paintings, artifacts, and building materials, and complementing radiocarbon dating. WATCH >>> Lord of the Tree Rings – Science Nation
With the myriad benefits of trees, it seems like there is nothing that they can’t do! From reducing crime to helping us decipher history, trees are pretty astounding! For more remarkable tree information, be sure to check out our article, “8 Amazing Facts About Trees That You Didn’t Know,”.
What other amazing benefits of trees can you think of?
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Article by Alexis Alvey
Published in Blog
