Forests aren’t just found on mountain sides or in wild, untouched places.
You call a forest home, whether you know it or not. All the trees within your community make up a forest—from the pine tree outside your bedroom window to the maple tree you pass on your daily commute.
Healthy community forests help maximize the lifetime of grey infrastructure, like stormwater systems, and are proven to bolster local economies, improve human health, and bring communities closer together. Put simply, community forests provide essential benefits we can’t live without.
From pencils and paper, to lumber and other sustainably grown products, trees provide shelter, furniture, and countless supplies for school, office, and home. Trees are renewable resources when managed properly; as trees are harvested, new trees are planted to begin the next generation of forest.
Trees take carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air and produce oxygen in its place. They store the carbon in their roots, trunk, branches, and leaves. For each pound of new wood that grows, the tree removes 1.8 pounds of CO2 from the air and produces 1.3 pounds of oxygen. Even modest increases in tree canopy have reduced peak ozone levels in Los Angeles and communities along the east coast from Baltimore to Boston.
From outdoor festivals to nature walks, trees promote activities that lead to happier, healthier lives. Tree-lined streets are more walkable, encouraging people to walk more—and farther—during their day-to-day activities. Parks serve as settings for outdoor recreation on a daily basis. Urban and community forests and trails provide opportunities for recreation and creative thinking.
By reducing noise pollution, calming tempers, slowing down cars, promoting pedestrian traffic, and fostering social interaction, research suggests that trees make neighborhoods a safer place to live. The presence of trees along the sidewalk not only reduces traffic speeds but also serves as a protective barrier between cars and pedestrians. Trees save you money.
Neighborhoods with urban greenery that still allows for visibility may be safer than those with no vegetation. In urban low-income housing, buildings surrounded by high levels of vegetation have 52 percent fewer total crimes and 56 percent fewer violent crimes than buildings with little vegetation.
Additionally, trees can be used as part of community speed-reduction strategies, keeping pedestrians out of harm’s way. For example, center islands with greenery are shown to reduce driver speeds up to seven percent. In addition, improvements to greenery and other landscape features along a highway have been shown to reduce the crash rate by 46 percent.
Trees not only save you money on energy but also can make you money by increasing property value. Research shows that the presence of trees can increase the value as much as 15 percent. What’s more, trees save you money on Tax Day by filtering and storing stormwater so municipal water treatment plants don’t have to.
The presence of trees may positively influence consumer responses and behaviors. One national study found that judgments of products and merchants by respondents were more positive in forested places as were inferences about product value, product quality, and merchant responsiveness.
Trees reduce stormwater runoff and act as a natural filter to prevent accumulated pollutants on paved surfaces from washing into waterways. Trees also function as natural filters by retaining sediment and organic matter from overland flow, which reduces erosion and improves water quality for fish and wildlife habitat.
Urban and community tree canopies provide a barrier between precipitation and the street. By absorbing and evaporating precipitation, trees prevent sewage systems from overflowing. A 2007 study by the USDA Forest Service found that the street trees in New York City intercept 890.6 million gallons of water before it hits the streets, greatly reducing strain on the city’s drainage systems. The value of this service to New York is estimated to be $35.6 million, or an average of $61 in public benefits per tree.
How can I care for the tree that cares for me?
Healthy community forests aren’t a given. They take work.
For decades, state forestry agencies have helped communities manage their forests by providing technical and financial assistance to conservation groups and government agencies for the planting and care of street, park, and other community trees.
The My Tree—Our Forest campaign helps state forestry agencies deliver this same tree planting and care expertise directly to community residents, so once equipped with the know-how, anyone—anywhere—can care for the trees that care for them.
The National Association of State Foresters created My Tree—Our Forest to give you a reason and the resources you need to care for a tree, and in turn, your community. Now that you know about some of the ways trees care for you, here are some starter resources for caring for trees:
Connect with your state’s Urban and Community Forestry coordinator to learn more about street tree planting and care in your area. Visit the Arbor Day Foundation’s website.
Spread the good word on trees through social media! Use the hashtag #MyTreeOurForest when sharing tree and forest-related content. For those interested in sharing existing My Tree—Our Forest creative content, contact NASF Communications Director Sheridan Davis.
Your state’s Forest Action Plan includes in-depth analysis of forest conditions and trends in your area. Collectively, the states’ Forest Action Plans make up a roadmap for forest management on a national scale.
