Have you ever thought about what a shade tree is worth? We can attach a price tag in the Nursery Yard, but the purchase price hardly begins to reflect the value it will bring over its lifetime. For decades, researchers have tried to measure the economic, social, and environmental value of an urban tree. It’s not an easy thing to do – a tree’s impacts on its surroundings are broad, and there are lots of variables to consider. But the evidence that biologists and economists have gathered supports what we already inherently know – trees are a good thing for our health, our communities, and our pocketbooks.
Their Monetary Value
A shade tree is a beautiful addition to any landscape. That beauty has a direct impact on the resale value of the property where it’s planted, and surprisingly, the properties that surround it too. In a 2010 study from the US Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station, researcher Geoffrey Donovan and his team found that in Portland, Oregon, street trees that were planted in front of or near houses increased their sale price by an average of $7,000 to nearly $9,000. And a neighborhood tree located in a public right-of-way added an average of almost $13,000 in combined value to the homes within a one-hundred-foot radius.
A shade tree saves its owner money on a daily basis too. In addition to blocking the sun’s heating rays, a tree cools itself and the air around it by using heat energy to convert the water in its leaves into water vapor in the air – a process called “transpiration cooling.” Nearby homes, people, and other plants benefit from this natural air conditioning. Through another study in 2009, Donovan and his team found that trees planted on the south and west sides of homes in Sacramento, California saved homeowners an average of $25.16 on their monthly electric bill in the summer.
Their Social + Emotional Value
A tree can provide a beautiful view, screen an unattractive one, reduce noise pollution, and create a comfortable place to gather with friends – all good and measurable ways to increase our emotional well-being. Numerous studies have shown that people are more productive, experience less stress, heal quicker from illness and injury, and feel more rested and at peace when trees are nearby. In fact, there’s evidence that trees improve our peace of mind by reducing crime too. A 2012 study led by Austin Troy of the University of Vermont showed that a 10% increase in tree canopy can be linked to a 12% reduction of violence and other crime in a neighborhood.
Their Environmental Value
Even one shade tree has a positive impact on the local environment – one that benefits our health as well as that of the wildlife community too. Like all plants, trees produce oxygen – and in one day, one large tree can produce enough oxygen to supply four people. Trees continue to improve air quality by increasing humidity, removing dust, and reducing levels of harmful gasses like carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Trees also mitigate the effects of local flooding after a rainfall. A tree’s leaves scatter raindrops as they fall, and its extensive root system absorbs excess water from the soil. This reduces soil erosion and prevents silt, chemicals, and other pollutants from running off your property and into nearby streams and lakes.
A tree – especially a native one – is also a valuable resource for the local community of insects, birds, and other wildlife. Native trees provide the best and most recognizable sources of food, shelter, and nesting materials that many local birds and other creatures look for as they live and raise their young. As an example, chickadee parents must find and bring home anywhere from five to seven hundred caterpillars to raise just one brood in the spring. A single white oak tree can support hundreds of caterpillars – allowing chickadees and other birds to feed their families.
A Tree is a Valuable Thing
Planting even a single tree has profound positive benefits for you, your property, your community, and your wallet. Next time you visit our store, stop by the Nursery Yard. We love trees, and we’re excited to help you find the perfect one to meet your goals for your landscape – and start adding value to the community for years to come.
