Going Green Begins With A Tree

Article By:Joan Bradshaw
Director of the University of Florida /IFAS Citrus County Extension

Planting trees in your neighborhood really is one of the best practices for improving the local environment as well as the planet. It's no secret that trees enhance the environment, but you may be surprised by all the benefits that planting trees can provide. Besides producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide and contaminants from the air, trees have many other social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Most trees and shrubs in cities or communities are planted to provide beauty or shade. These are two excellent reasons for their use but trees contribute so much more. Trees trap CO2 from the atmosphere and make carbohydrates that are used for plant growth. In return, trees give off oxygen. According to experts, about 800 million tons of carbon are stored in the trees that make up the urban forests of the U.S. This translates to a savings of $22 billion in control costs. Mature trees can absorb roughly 48 pounds of CO2 a year. The tree in turn releases enough oxygen to sustain two human beings. One acre of tree absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.

Another big plus about planting trees are reducing urban runoff and erosion by storing water and breaking the force of rain as it falls. The USDA reports that 100 mature trees can reduce runoff caused by rainfall by up to 100,000 gallons!

Trees also absorb sound and reduce noise pollution. This is especially important for people who live near freeways. In some cases, a well planted group of trees can reduce noise pollution by up to 10 decibels.

Let's not forget the net cooling effect of landscaping around the home. Landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent, by shading the windows and walls of a home. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research takes it one step farther and indicates that if you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in five years your energy bills usage should be 3% less and in 15 years the energy savings will be nearly 12%.

Curb appeal is another big plus for adding trees to your landscape. Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent. In one study, 83% of realtors believe that mature trees have a "strong or moderate impact" on the salability of homes listed for under $150,000; on homes over $250,000, this perception increases to 98%.

Let's not overlook the social value associated with trees. Most of us respond to the presence of trees beyond simply observing their beauty. We feel serene, peaceful, restful, and tranquil in a grove of trees. Hospital patients have been shown to recover from surgery more quickly when their hospital room offered a view of trees. The strong ties between people and trees are most evident in the resistance of community residents to removing trees to widen streets. Because of their potential for long life, trees frequently are planted as living memorials.

Dr. Joan Bradshaw is the natural resource conservation faculty for specialized programs in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sumter County University of Florida/IFAS Extension Service.

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