Trees have environmental benefits, that s no surprise, but there are social and economic benefits to trees as well, particularly those near our homes and in our communities. You may have read, or seen television stories about the therapeutic use of animals in nursing homes, children s hospitals and the like. Apparently trees have similar benefits. More generally, there is a positive correlation between the presence of trees in one s life and a reduction in stress symptoms. Trees make towns and cities more livable, and help foster a sense of community.
People take pride in their area s trees.
Tree planting or preservation programs can bring people together. Hydrocarbons and other organic chemicals in the air are taken up by leaves and metabolized into benign compounds. More significantly, tree roots through healthy associations with soil microbes can help facilitate the breakdown of harmful compounds. Certain tree species are good at taking from the soil and accumulating in their tissues heavy metals, which cannot break down. The better we take care of these pollution filters, especially in the first few years after planting, the longer they will serve us.