Advocacy

Noise pollution can cause tension, anxiety, illness, and hearing loss but trees can be a tool for mitigating these effects. Trees and vegetated buffers absorb, deflect, or refract sound waves, reducing noise pollution and its negative effects in our neighborhoods. Vegetated buffers also serve as visual screens, enhancing privacy. (1)

Street trees calm traffic by modifying motorist behavior through “edge effect”, which cues drivers to slow speeds. Tree lined urban roads with landscape improvements experience decreased crash rates and are safer for pedestrians and cyclists. (1)

Trees have the power to bring together communities. Participating in a tree planting event or organizing with your neighbors to bring trees to your street are both strategies for increased community cohesion and connectedness. (1)

Carefully positioned trees can reduce a household’s overall energy consumption by 25%. Households may also see a 30% reduction in air-conditioning needs and 20–50% saving on heating costs, when trees are placed strategically around buildings. (2) 

By providing shade, trees lower surface and air temperatures in the warmer months. In our cities, trees can lower temperatures up to 10°F, by providing shade and cooling through evapotranspiration. On a sunny day, the cooling effect of one tree through evapotranspiration is equivalent to at least 10 air conditioners. (2, 3)

Investments in trees bring noticeable returns: each dollar spent on tree planting and care can generate two to five times that investment. (2)

A study from Portland, Oregon, showed that on average, houses with more trees commanded higher rent prices. On average, a tree in a house’s yard increased monthly rent by $5.62, and a tree in the public right of way increased rent by $21.00 a month. (4)

Trees can provide economic benefits to their broader neighborhood. Research shows that a tree with about 300 square feet of canopy coverage can provide, on average, $9,200 to the value of neighboring houses. (4)

Research shows that transforming vacant or underutilized lots in cities into maintained green space can bring significant economic benefits to the community. Researchers in Philadelphia found that homes experienced approximate gains in value of 18% to 21% following the conversion of nearby vacant lots into maintained green space. This means that for every dollar spent to convert and maintain a vacant lot, there was an estimated $7.43 gain in additional property tax revenues. (5)

When rain water hits the ground, it collects pollutants, heavy metals, and oils found in our urban environments. This runoff is called stormwater. Trees help prevent stormwater runoff in our cities by intercepting rainfall, reabsorbing water through their root systems, and filtering collected water. This process cleans our water, protects marine wildlife and environments from pollutants, and reduces costs associated with filtering stormwater. (6)

Proximity to greenspace can be an important motivator for active lifestyles. One research study demonstrated that in areas with more greenspace, residents were more than three times as likely to be physically active. Research from the University of Washington further illustrates that green streets promote more active modes of transportation, including walking and biking. (5)

Street trees reduce nearby indoor air pollution by more than 50%. (2)

Trees and greenspace play a significant role in improving mental health. Results from a study in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, show that converting vacant lots to maintained community greenspaces significantly improved feelings of depression and worthlessness among study participants. (7)

Even just looking at trees improves our health! Research shows that office workers with a view of trees report significantly less stress and greater job satisfaction. (2)

Fruit trees in parks and along urban streets provide healthy, accessible, and sustainable food resources to our communities. (1)