Top 20 Reasons You Need To Plant A Tree

They change your view. Filter sunlight into pretty patterns on your wall. Give you privacy, shade, something to climb. They clean the air, buffer traffic noise, add instant curb appeal, lower your energy bills, blood pressure and stress.

Here are just 20 of the many reasons we love them and think you will, too.

1. Did you know just one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen? This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people. S. Department of Agriculture

2. What better way to mark the seasons—just look out your window.

3. Trees heal. Studies have shown that patients with views of trees out their windows heal faster with fewer complications. Children with ADHD show fewer symptoms when they have access to nature. And exposure to trees and nature aids concentration by reducing mental fatigue. org

4. In one study, 98% of realtors believed that mature trees have a “strong or moderate impact” on the salability of homes listed for over $250,000. Arbor National Mortgage & American Forests

5. An apple tree can yield up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year and can be planted on the tiniest urban lot. Birds and wildlife can also enjoy the fruits of your labor. org

6. More trees can equal less stress. Visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension. Roger S. Ulrich, Texas A&M University

7. The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. S. Department of Agriculture

8. One 12” caliper (i.e. trunk diameter) Sugar Maple can remove 5200mg of lead from the air in one year. University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

9. Trees store water when it rains, reducing urban runoff and erosion and breaking the force of rain as it falls. Just 100 mature trees can reduce rainfall runoff by up to 100,000 gallons. USDA Forest Service

10. When trees reduce runoff, they are reducing the amount of sediment and chemicals transported into streams. USDA Forest Service

11. As a stimulus to economic development, trees can actually attract new business and tourism. Commercial retail areas with trees are more attractive to shoppers, apartments with trees rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent. The Arbor Day Foundation

12. A mature tree can have an appraised value of $1,000 to $10,000. Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers

13. Bedford Fields offers delivery and planting services as an added convenience when you purchase trees from us. These services ensure proper planting and guarantee you to a replacement warranty.

14. Trees create a lasting memory. Mark a special occasion or honor a friend or loved one by planting a tree. You can plant one at home or donate to programs that plant trees in national forests destroyed by fire. As the trees grow and prosper, so does the meaning behind them.

15. “They are beautiful in their peace, they are wise in their silence. They will stand after we are dust. They teach us and we tend them.” Galeain ip Altiem MacDunelmor 

16. A well-placed row of trees and shrubs can reduce urban noise
by 3 to 5 decibels, while wide, dense belts of mature trees can reduce noise by twice that amount, which would be comparable to noise reduction from effective highway barriers. gov
    
    
17. Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns. Most newly planted trees need only 15 gallons of water a week. As trees transpire, they increase atmospheric moisture. org
    
    
18. An air conditioning unit operating in the shade of a tree or shrub uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun. S. Department of Energy
    
    
19. Shaded parking lots keep automobiles cooler, reducing emissions from fuel tanks and engines. S. Forest Service
    
    
20. Aren’t some of your best childhood memories associated with trees? Never thought about it? Climbing trees, tree forts, naps in the shade, hide and seek, tree swings, the perfect spot for picnics and so much more. Be a kid at heart and pass on the fun to your kids.

Are you convinced yet? For help choosing the right tree for the right place, planting services, tips and care guidelines, please call us at (603) 472-8880 or stop into the garden center. We’d love to help.