With over 1,000 different species, varieties and cultivators, the City's street tree population is also the most diverse in the world. This urban forest produces many benefits for the residences of the City. We all know that trees can beautify a block, a neighborhood or a community, but you may not be aware of the many environmental benefits that a healthy and sustainable urban forest provides. A properly selected and maintained tree can reduce summer cooling cost by 10 to 50 percent. In the winter, properly placed trees can shield your home from cold winds.
Trees help clean the air by absorbing and storing carbon, removing it from the atmosphere.
Carbon is a main ingredient in the formation of smog. Trees produce oxygen, and a mature tree can produce enough oxygen annually to meet the needs of a family of four for an entire year. Trees also trap air pollution particles. Trees intercept and absorb storm water, reducing runoff and soil erosion. Trees can screen out noise pollution and reduce stress.