The purifying and regulating effect that trees have on the water, soil, and air all bring immense benefits and truly shows why trees are important. But what are some of the specific health benefits that trees directly bring to humans?
To put it simply, there are more than enough to fill an entire page with benefits. But here are just some of the following:. While removing some trees is crucial, it is a decision that has to be made with care every time. We are removing part of an ecosystem that supports other living things in those ecosystems. A huge range of birds, mammals, and insects all make trees their homes. The process of human encroachment on natural habitats is an ongoing crisis.
Deforestation is a major contributing factor to the extinction and endangerment of thousands of species worldwide.
By keeping a few more trees, we can all do our part to slow that change. Trees provide homes to small creatures like snakes, frogs, birds, beetles, spiders, and much more. They offer a safe hiding place for prey, not to mention valuable feeding spots, as well as shelter from the elements.
There are thousands of species that have adapted to live in these specific environments. When you remove those habitats, these animals cannot easily live in other places. Aside from their more widespread benefits to the world, trees also improve their local landscape in various ways. One way they do that is by combatting the noise levels in cities and towns across the world. Noise reduction is becoming an important part of planning for living spaces in cities and towns.
The consistently higher noise levels of more developed areas can have negative impacts on the people living there. For instance, at nighttime, higher noise levels can make it much harder to get to sleep.
However, even in the day, high noise levels can contribute to stress. Trees can reduce noise levels by up to 6 decibels depending on how densely they are planted and their proximity to both the noise source and the person listening to it. As mentioned, trees take excess carbon dioxide out of the air. Even without carbon emissions from the vehicles, machines, and appliances we use in day-to-day life, they would play a crucial role in taking the carbon dioxide that we humans breathe out and giving back oxygen for us to breathe in.
We are currently producing much more than the environment can handle. Global warming is a part of climate change. Tree roots hold soil in place, reducing erosion. In these ways, trees lessen the force of storms and reduce the amount of runoff into sewers, streams, and rivers, improving water quality. One hundred mature trees can intercept about , gallons of rainfall per year. Trees lower air temperatures and humidity; they can also influence wind speed.
Evaporation of water from trees, or transpiration, has a cooling effect. Trees in parking lots have been shown to reduce asphalt temperatures by 36 degrees Fahrenheit and car interiors by up to 47 degrees Fahrenheit. Three or more large trees strategically placed on sunny sides of a house shade it from the hot summer sun, reducing air-conditioning costs by as much as 30 percent.
Deciduous trees are best for this use because they lose their leaves in winter, exposing the house to the warming winter sun, which lowers the energy needed to heat the house. Coniferous trees, because they retain their needles year-round, serve to reduce wind when placed on the north and northwest sides of a building, resulting in significantly lower winter heating costs.
Economic analyses have found that the value of homes near trees is 9 to 15 percent higher than homes without. Research shows that shoppers linger longer along a shaded avenue than one barren of trees and are even willing to pay more for goods and services. Wherever trees are established, wildlife and other plants are sure to follow, ensuring a healthier ecosystem.
Trees provide shelter and food for a variety of birds and small animals. Research demonstrates that exposure to trees has a relaxing effect on humans, reducing stress and imparting a sense of well-being.
Hospital patients with a window view of trees recover faster than those without. Enter your email below and we'll send you a digital poster. Spread awareness about the importance of trees by sharing this with your friends, family, or classroom. From arborists to loggers and researchers, the job opportunities provided by the forestry industry are endless.
Sustainable tree farming provides timber to build homes and shelters, and wood to burn for cooking and heating.
Food-producing trees provide fruit, nuts, berries, and leaves for consumption by both humans and animals, and pack a powerful nutritional punch.
Did you know that hospital patients with rooms overlooking trees recover faster than those without the same view? Trees help reduce stress and anxiety, and allow us to reconnect with nature. In addition, shade provided by tree coverage helps protect our skin from the ever-increasing harshness of the sun. Trees help cool the planet by sucking in and storing harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into their trunks, branches, and leaves — and releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere.
Fortunately, a mature tree can absorb an average of 22lbs of carbon dioxide per year , making cities a healthier, safer place to live. Why are trees important to the environment?
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