News & Announcements
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Logically—Love, healthy hearts, and trees are perfect together!
The logic is simple: If A = B, and B = C, then A = C.
Halloween can be a really scary time, but what’s even more scary is waking up to hearing a large CRACK when your big beautiful shade tree fails and damages your home, car or worse. But there are easy ways to quell your anxiety and keep your investments safe.
Exposure to green spaces, including urban forests, not only help improve the attention function of students, but has also been found to contribute to increased academic performance. While research has continued to indicate the benefits of green spaces for health, such as decreased asthma prevalence [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] (Lovasi et al. 2008) or better concentration after activity in green spaces for children with ADHD [journals.sagepub.com] (Taylor and Kuo, 2009), trees in the schoolyard itself seems to have an impact on academic achievement. Multiple studies have shown benefits of local green spaces that cross economic and social boundaries, but availability of, and access to, green schoolyards is typically reduced/restricted in lower economic areas which, as noted, also provides health benefits.
The Case for ShadeOn a hot summer day, it’s hard to resist the shade of a large tree. Planting trees to create shaded spaces has been integral into planning parks, schools and university campuses, businesses, as well as around our streets and homes. When planted properly a mature tree can save a homeowner up to 20% on energy costs (Arbor Day Foundation). For homes without air conditioning, shade trees can make the home feel cooler during summer heat.
Ah July – the heart of summer and a great month to get outside and explore your urban and community forests and other natural areas. But the air quality in our urban areas, especially at this time of year, can be unhealthy. The good news is that while the relationship between trees and air pollution is complicated, overall trees have been shown to have a positive effect on reducing air pollution, making your outdoor activities healthier and more enjoyable.
May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Did you know trees help prevent asthma and other respiratory diseases? Trees filter particles out of the air we breathe, which decreases our risk of respiratory illnesses, including asthma. One study found that in 2010, trees removed 17.4 million tons of air pollution across the US, which prevented 850 human deaths and 670,000 cases of acute respiratory symptoms.
Just as Ireland is famously known as the Emerald Isle for its lush green landscapes, so are those communities that plant and enhance their urban forests. In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, it’s not an exaggeration to say that “it’s a lucky thing to have trees!”
Northeast Wildfire Preparedness GuideThe many partners of the Northeast Regional Strategy Committee (NE RSC), as part of the national Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, have created a new wildfire preparedness resource guide to help everyone in the 20 States of the Northeast and Midwest U.S. get started.
This effect on health also has economic impacts. Having quality, well-managed green spaces near where people live and work could return an annual savings of $1.2–$2.3 billion related to healthcare for cardiovascular disease and $1.3–$2.6 billion for hypertension. Coupled with other nature-provided health benefits, this is an overall savings of $11.7 billion per year in avoided health care costs! It is critical and economically savvy to have high quality, nearby nature in our communities that is available to everyone.
Trees Help You Stay In ShapeOne of the easiest and cheapest ways to get exercise is to walk or run in your neighborhood or local park. People are willing to walk to their destination versus drive if a route they can take has greenery and natural features like trees.