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Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesBENEFITS OFWOODED AREAS AND TREESWoo Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesBENEFITS OFWOODED AREAS AND TREESWoo

Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesBENEFITS OFWOODED AREAS AND TREESWoo - PDF document

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Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesBENEFITS OFWOODED AREAS AND TREESWoo - PPT Presentation

Benefits of Wooded Areas and Treesconservation and screening purposes can increase thevalue of a developed property by 6 percent to 15 percent or add 20 percent to 30 percent to the value of anund ID: 219033

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Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesBENEFITS OFWOODED AREAS AND TREESWooded areas have unique compositions, structures, andfunctions. They provide a wide range of economic, social,and environmental benefits.Economic benefitsWooded areas and trees provide both tangible andnontangible economic benefits. These include:Economic stabilityThe beautifying and peaceful effect of healthy tree coverenhances land value, business development, and employ-ment opportunities. Wooded areas and trees are consid-ered part of the communityÕs infrastructure and assets.Increased property valuesWooded areas and erty value andmarketability because they enhance appearance andother values. Properties with trees usually sell faster andat a higher price than treeless properties (Figure 4,page 10). Market evidence indicates that:¥Mature landscaping (lawn, flowers, shrubs, and trees)can add up to 20 percent to the value of an improvedresidential property.¥ÒGood tree coverÓ or Òwell-spacedÓ mature trees (treesplanted or preserved for aesthetics, shade, energy Benefits of Wooded Areas and Treesconservation, and screening purposes) can increase thevalue of a developed property by 6 percent to 15 per-cent, or add 20 percent to 30 percent to the value of anundeveloped property (Source: Minnesota Society ofArboriculture, 1996).Tax revenueProperty taxes provide government with revenue to fundpublic services. Trees increase appraisal and sale price,and so generate higher property and sales tax revenues.Figure 4. Properties surrounded with trees have higher market valuethan treeless properties because trees are part of the property infra-structure. In addition, trees provide a healthier and a more pleasantliving environment. Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesEnergy savingsTrees are living infrastructures. Shade trees can reducethe cost of cooling by up to 25 percent during hot sum-mer months. They also reduce the impact of urban heatration of pavement, build-ings, air conditioners, and engines in urban areas. Treewindbreaks can reduce the cost of heating during coldand windy winter months by as much as 20 percent(Figure 5). Living snow fences can provide a low-costsolution to problems from drifting snow.trees on the east and west of the building significantly reduce the costof heating and cooling. Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesSocial benefitsThe social benefits of trees include health benefits, aes-thetic values, recreational and educational opportunities,and screening and privacy.Health benefitsWooded areas provide a place for mental and physicalcontentment. Research has shown that a walk in woodedareas can relieve psychological and emotional stress.Medical studies indicate that patients recover faster infacilities surrounded with trees and rooms offering viewsto wooded areas because they feel serene, peaceful, andrestful. Wooded areas and trees provide mental comfortand relaxation.Aesthetic valuesWooded areas and trees add beauty and character to thelandscape, neighborhoods, and properties and enhancequality of life.Recreational and educational opportunitiesWooded areas provide recreational activities and educa-tional opportunities. These include hiking, walking,watching birds and other wildlife, nature study, photogra-phy, picnicking, and camping.Screening and privacyWooded areas and trees provide screening and privacy.Screening is the blocking out of an objectionable view Benefits of Wooded Areas and Treeswhile privacy is the seclusion of an area from its sur-roundings (Minnesota Society of Arboriculture, 1996).Noise and glare reductionWooded areas may reflect and absorb sound energy, andblock and reflect light scattering.Environmental benefitsWooded areas and trees provide a number of environmen-tal benefits including:Clean airTrees play an important role in cleaning air. They trapdust, reducing the need to clean doors, windows, decks,patios, and exterior walls. They also remove chemicalpollutants, including carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur com-pounds, from the atmosphere and release oxygen (Figure6, page 14). By trapping carbon compounds, they reducethe level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.Clean waterWooded areas and trees influence water flow, filtration,runoff, soil erosion, and sediment control, and provideclean water. According to studies by the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture (1975), wooded areas reduce runoff by 5percent to 35 percent. This reduction is less than mowedgrass and pastured areas depending on soil types. Theyalso increase water percolation and infiltration. Thisfunction is of great importance to communities thatdepend essentially on ground water. Benefits of Wooded Areas and Trees Benefits of Wooded Areas and TreesWildlife habitatBirds, mammals, fish, and other wild animals are avaluable resource. For many, their survival depends onthe presence, structure, composition, and distribution ofwooded areas across the landscape (Figure 7). Habitatrequirements (shelter, food, water, diversity) vary amongspecies. For example, squirrels may require only a fewtrees, while chipmunks require a small wood lot andother wildlife species may Habitat requirements for a greater number of wildlifespecies can be met in urban wooded areas by conservinga network of connected green corridors and naturalwooded open spaces across the landscape.Figure 7. A community forest provides recreational and educationalopportunities as well as environmental benefits and wildlife habitat.