The
benefits of urban trees are many. They include beautification,
temperature control and reduction of urban heat island, reduction
of storm water runoff, air pollution, and energy costs through
increased shade of buildings.
Urban
forests are defined by the city to which they are connected, and
their qualities correspond to the limitations and opportunities
present in each setting. In turn, urban forests will also influence
the quality of their cities. As such, city forests will benefit
the city in different degrees.
Urban
forests contribute to the physical, aesthetic, and emotional wellbeing
of cities. The ecological, and therefore also the economic, benefits
of urban forests may be quantifiable. On the other hand, the social
and psychological wellbeing that can be attributed to the connection
of people with nature, are benefits that are not easily quantifiable.
"The
forest creates less tangible products as well, which are rarely
valued and hard to quantify. These include wilderness and wildness,
solitude, emotional and physical restoration, beauty, nature,
and a reconnections with one's spirit and spirituality as well
as one's sense of adventure." Andy and Katie Lipkis, from
The Simple Act of Planting a Tree.
From
The Simple Act of Planting a Tree by Andy and Katie Lipkis
WHAT DO TREES REALLY DO FOR US?
1. Provide Oxygen
2. Clean Air by absorbing odors and pollution
3. Conserve energy by shading and cooling homes and buildings
and breaking up urban heat islands, thereby reducing the need
for air-conditioning.
4. Reduce water consumption and increase atmospheric moisture
5. Prevent water runoff and soil erosion by breaking rainfall
and holding soil
6. Produce food and mulch
7. Provide canopy and habitat for wildlife
8. Transform barren areas and provide buffers for harsh urban
landscapes
9. Increase property values and improve business traffic
10. Add unity, identity, landmarks, and pride to communities
working together
11. Absorb noise, dust, and heat
12. Reduce glare
13. Provide visual barriers and fire and wind breaks
14. Provide fuel and craft wood
15. Serve as a vehicle for personal and community activism
16. Provide employment
17. Turn vacant lots into parks and playgrounds
18. Provide protection against the increase in cancer-causing
ultraviolet rays due to the depletion of the ozone layer
19. Serve as friends, companions, playmates, and teachers
20. Provide spiritual and creative inspiration
21. Dramatically accentuate seasons in the city
22. Act as symbols of life, peace, hope fore the future, and
life-style change
23. Produce a sense of rootedness, connectedness, and community.
