There is something rewarding about planting a tree as a young sapling and then watching it grow to be a big, massive tree no matter what type it is. Some trees are purely ornamental, pleasing us with dazzling displays of flowers in the spring or showy bursts of color in the fall. Some trees are both attractive and functional, giving us wood to build homes and other items. And some trees are truly head and shoulders above by giving us not only pretty flowers in the spring and gorgeous color in fall, but also food in the summer months and then eventually, wood once they have reached the end of their productive life. Trees provide us with many, many benefits. Here are some of them:
- Trees combat the greenhouse effect by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide in the air before it can become a problem.
- Trees can combat some air-borne pollutants. They absorb these dangerous particles through their leaves and then store them away in the bark.
- A single acre of mature trees can produce enough oxygen for nearly 20 people. Trees mature at different rates with some reaching maturity very quickly.
- Tree-lined city streets can reduce the overall temperature by as much as ten degrees.
- Well placed trees can reduce a family’s need for air conditioning by as much as 50 percent.
- Trees slow the need to water the lawn by shading, which cools the ground.
- Trees prevent the dangers of soil erosion especially on hillsides or slopes where barren ground can mean slides and collapses.
- A tree can prevent exposure to some UV-B rays, which means protection from the more dangerous rays of the sun and a reduction in the risk of skin cancer.
- Trees can produce food. A wide variety of trees produce foods from fruit trees to nut trees. Many can be planted even on small, urban plots. Some varieties are self-pollinating, which means that you do not need more than one tree to get results.
- Trees provide housing for birds and animals. Certain birds tend to look for certain types of trees, so the more trees you have around you, the more likely you are to have a variety of birds to delight you. Other animals such as squirrels also use trees to build their homes.
- A tree can increase the value of your home. Depending on the variety, the number of trees and the placement, your home’s value can go up by $1,000 to $10,000. Realtors also report that homes with trees are often much more quickly sold than the same or similar house without trees.
- Trees block much of the wind from a home, which can reduce your home heating bills in the winter.
- Trees can also block sounds by absorbing them. A row of trees between a house and a busy street can deaden the sound dramatically.
- Trees can also block out unattractive sights. Planting a row of trees can keep you from having to look at an ugly building in only a few years.