Trees increase property values, with mature trees adding thousands of dollars of value. It is easy to understand why, as most people would prefer to live in cool, shady, tree-lined neighborhoods rather than those without trees and that instead have hot, barren streets. Studies in places like Philadelphia, Portland, and Minneapolis have consistently shown that the presence of more trees yields higher property values. By contrast, cutting down trees drives property values down for that homeowner and for neighbors.

Strategically placed trees shade a house in the summer and act as a windbreak in the winter, saving hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year. Plant trees on the south side of a house to shade and cool the house during the summer, which can reduce air conditioning bills by 30%. Trees Charlotte, a nonprofit in North Carolina, has helpful diagrams to show how to maximize energy savings through tree plantings: https://treescharlotte.org/tree-education/trees-save-energy/.

Trees cool the area around them. Of course, standing in the shade is cooler than standing in the sun, which is a tremendous benefit by itself for children who are playing, get-togethers on a patio, or even going for a walk in the neighborhood. Shaded surfaces can be 20-45 degrees cooler than unshaded surfaces. Aside from shade, trees also cool the area around them (even when not in the shade) through evaporative cooling, which reduces peak summer temperature by 2-9 degrees in the area around the trees.

Trees capture and hold rainwater, slowing the flow of water when it rains and reducing the risk of flooding. Their roots absorb water, but a mature tree can hold 50-100 gallons on its leaves and trunk during a storm. This water slowly drips down to the ground, meaning that trees reduce the amount of water that immediately inundates roads and stormwater systems during a storm. Abington’s trees annually save the Township hundreds of thousands of dollars by reducing stormwater runoff by roughly 42 million gallons.

Trees sequester carbon as they grow, helping mitigate the impact of global warming. Every year, Abington’s trees sequester 6,500 tons of carbon, at a value of $483,000. As another example: each year, one acre of trees absorbs as much carbon as is produced by driving 26,000 miles.

Trees are important for public health because they improve air quality by absorbing pollutants. The presence of more trees reduces the risk of asthma and other respiratory ailments. Abington’s trees save about $1 million each year in public health expenditures by filtering pollutants.

The mental health benefits of trees are significant. Students perform better on exams in the presence of trees, and individuals with ADD and ADHD are able to better focus. Similarly, worker productivity is improved when employees have views of nature from their desks. Stress recovery times are reduced. Trees are integral to our lives and health.

• Native trees are necessary for healthy ecosystems that support wildlife. A healthy ecosystem includes a range of native plants - trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, grasses, etc. – to support a wide variety of creatures, including favorites like butterflies and songbirds. Research by Dr. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware, has shown that native trees support vast numbers of insect life by providing larval food sources for hundreds of species of butterflies and moths.  These butterfly and moth larvae – caterpillars – require specific must eat specific plants’ leaves in order to grow and survive, and themselves are an essential part of the food chain for baby birds.
• Trees are by far the most important types of plants for wildlife. For example, in our area 511 different species of butterflies and moths need oak trees to reproduce. Without oaks, they will simply disappear. Without those caterpillars, those bird species cannot reproduce. Trees are “keystone” species for a reason: without them, the rest of the environment collapses. Properties in Abington Township need to offer a wide variety of native trees to support a healthy ecosystem.