Milwaukee Urban Forestry Fund

Most often we hear of the benefits that trees provide for the environment, but trees also provide many direct benefits to our health.

Exposure to forests and trees have been shown to:

• Boost the immune system
• Aid in healing and shortened recuperation time
• Reduce mental fatigue and stress
• Improve sleep

Research has also shown that exposure to trees and nature helps children learn by:

• Increasing attentiveness and improving focus (including in children with ADHD)
• Reducing stress and aiding in social interactions
• Reducing violent/disruptive behavior
• Providing lasting positive impacts on life-long learning

These are just a few of the many, quantifiable health benefits we receive from trees. Trees also foster safer and more social neighborhoods, they reduce noise pollution, and they beautify and increase the scenic quality of our community.

More facts and related studies on the health benefits from trees can be found here.

Trees bridge the gap between the urban environment and the natural world, and they play a vital role for the planet.

Trees improve air quality by:

• Absorbing air pollutants and releasing oxygen

• Capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂). This reduces the amount of CO₂ in our atmosphere and increases resiliency to climate change.

• Combating urban heat island effect. Urban heat islands are about 1-7°F warmer than rural areas and lead to increased energy consumption, compromised human health and comfort, and impaired water quality. Trees help cool the environment to combat these issues.

Trees improve water quality by:

• Reducing peak stormwater runoff and pollutants that can enter Milwaukee rivers and Lake Michigan
• Intercepting rainfall which then evaporates from leaves
• Storing water in the soil. Tree roots increase rainfall infiltration into the soil which helps keep water where it falls and out of our basements and sewers.

Trees help wildlife by:

• Providing habitat for birds, mammals, and insects.
• Providing a food source for countless wildlife
• Providing an early source of nectar for many endangered pollinator species including butterflies, bees, and migrating birds.

Trees profit the economy and generate energy savings. The shade that trees provide can reduce energy costs, and people are often willing to pay more for goods and services that are located in a well-landscaped business district.

Trees also:

• Enhance property values as people are willing to pay more for properties with trees
• Cause shoppers to linger in retail districts and spend more money

Reduce air conditioning costs by 30% and save 20%-50 in heating costs when properly placed around buildings.