A first national study by the United States Forest Service has revealed that trees are saving more than 850 human lives each year and preventing 670,000 instances of acute respiratory symptoms.

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The 202020 Vision and University of Technology Sydney has released the first ever benchmark report on urban tree canopy cover in Australia.

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Image from Fallen Fruit.

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The urban forestry profession is getting more recognition in the United States, with three universities banding together to advance the profession.

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The Difference That Urban Trees Make:

Urban developers around the world are joining in the effort to create green cities for future generations.

In an article by Ben Kaplan from We Create Here in Iowa, he mentioned the many benefits of urban trees based on a list created by Dan Burden. Burden is the co-founder of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute – an organisation focused on creating pedestrian friendly spaces.

The story stated several benefits of urban trees. One is creating a safer environment. This is because street trees “make people drive more carefully” thereby keeping pedestrians safe and reducing stress associated with driving.

“Surprisingly, people perceive driving through areas with street trees as taking less time than driving in areas without street trees,” Kaplan noted.

Second, trees absorb greenhouse gas emissions, lowering the carbon emissions and other particulates in the air. Apart from that, “roads covered by a canopy of mature trees last 40 to 60 percent longer than roads without tree cover.”

The shade also lowers the heat island effect as canopied roads stay cooler on hot days. “Street trees also soak up a lot of water, helping to prevent street flooding and runoff.”

As we mentioned in the blog, street trees actually have more financial benefits to the city than the cost to maintain them. According to Kaplan’s article, it costs $1.2 million a year to maintain all of the 35,000 street trees in their area. But they generate $5 million of positive economic benefits each year.

“The average value per tree is $34 and in total generates $1.3 million a year. Street trees in Cedar Rapids also divert enough stormwater to save the city $1.8 million a year, reduce energy costs by $1.3 milion a year and provide $450,000 worth of air quality improvement and carbon reduction annually.”

“If you want to experience the difference street trees can make as a pedestrian, take a happy hour stroll from the Starlite Room to Belle’s Basix or 101 Gastropub, once on the tree-plentiful north side of 1^st Avenue, and walk back on the unshaded south side of the street,” Kaplan said.

Several organisations are aware of the many benefits trees provide. More recently, according to 9&10 News in Michigan, the Greening of Detroit’s Green Corps program is hiring 80 high school students to help take care of the 12,000 trees and green spaces in the city. Since it started, the program has hired more than 1,500 young people to help care for the city’s environment.

These young people will also “work to improve parks and support conservation projects while learning about agriculture and farming at The Greening’s farm gardens”.

Previously, residents of Detroit also united to create a greener city. It is these efforts from communities and organisations that will continue to push others to do their part in creating a greener future.