For now, I wanted to deal with the acts of beauty part. Some people believe tree planting is senseless. Others, especially after the December 12 windstorm, believe leaving trees is senseless. Nonetheless, a great many tree planting projects have been conducted under the guise of community beautification. However, focusing the benefits of trees so narrowly on beautification misses the big picture.
Trees provide a myriad of economic and environmental benefits to our communities.
Consider the tourism potential of big trees, shaded parks, and urban greenspaces. Or the economic drawing power trees have to attract shoppers to downtown business districts. Or the increased resale values of properties with trees compared to those without. Or the energy savings from planting a large shade tree on the south side of your home. Then there are the environmental benefits such as clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and shade.