| Tree Art in Anderson Park / Credit B.Yoder |
Trees have public health and social benefits:
.
Trees clean the air. They produce oxygen, intercept
airborne particulates, and reduce smog, enhancing a community’s respiratory
health. The urban tree canopy directly contributes to meeting a city’s
regulatory clean air requirements.
Access to trees, green spaces, and parks promotes greater
physical activity, and reduces stress, while improving our quality of life. Urban
landscaping, including trees, helps lower crime rates. Studies show that urban
vegetation slows heartbeats, lowers blood pressure, and relaxes brain wave
patterns. People with a view of nature and trees score higher on tests of
self-discipline.
Trees have environmental benefits. Trees help reduce climate
change by absorbing CO2 and sequestering carbon. Healthy forests are
our most efficient, inexpensive, and natural systems to combat climate change.
Trees help us conserve energy use. A single tree can produce
the cooling effect of ten room-size, residential air conditioners operating 20
hours a day. .Acting as a natural air-conditioner, a city’s lush tree canopy
ensures that summer temperatures are several degrees lower than in comparable
neighborhoods without trees. Trees can reduce residential heating costs 10-15%;
while shading and evaporative cooling from trees can cut residential air-conditioning
costs 20-50%.
Trees filter and retain water. Urban forests promote
beneficial water quality and reduce storm water management costs. Street and
park trees in Redmond can intercept millions of gallons of rainwater. Trees
capture and slow rainfall and their roots filter water and recharge the
aquifer. Trees reduce storm water runoff, which reduces flooding, and decreases
the flow of polluted water into and protects the banks of our rivers and creeks.
Trees provide important wildlife habitats for numerous birds,
insects and other animals.
Trees have economic benefits. Communities and business
districts with healthy tree-cover attract new residents, industry, and
commercial activity. Homes landscaped with trees sell more quickly and are
worth 5 to 15% more than homes without trees. Where the entire street is tree-lined, homes may be worth
25% more. Trees enhance economic stability by attracting businesses; people
linger and shop longer when trees are present. Where a canopy of trees exists,
apartments and offices rent more quickly and have a higher occupancy rate;
workers report more productivity and less absenteeism.
Trees provide inviting and cool areas for recreation and
relaxation such as playgrounds and parks.
Trees create a tapestry of color and interesting form that
changes throughout the year. The color green is calming and relieves eye strain. Trees
screen unattractive views and soften the harsh outline of masonry, metal,
asphalt, steel and glass. People walk and jog more on shaded streets, encouraging
interaction with neighbors and improving the sense of community. Trees absorb
and block sound, reducing noise pollution by as much as 40 percent.
Please complete the city’s online poll at redmond.gov/treecanopy by
September 29.
David Morton, PhD
Redmond, WA
