From the way their leaves dance in the sunlight during the summer to how winter’s snow and ice coats their branches, there’s no denying that trees beautify our world. And believe it or not, their good looks are just the tip of the iceberg—these beauties can go a long way to increase the value of your home.
After reading an article about the positive effects of trees on the National Arbor Day Foundation website, we decided to outline some of those benefits below.
1. Planting a Tree Can Help Protect the Environment
According to the USDA Forest Service, trees are a massive contributor to positive changes in the environment:
- Planting a tree can improve water quality by reducing the amount of runoff and erosion. This gives the groundwater a better chance to replenish itself.
- Wooded areas decrease the instance of chemicals ending up in streams.
- If everyone planted a tree, our air quality would significantly increase. Just one acre of forest takes in six tons of carbon dioxide and gives out four tons of oxygen—enough to supply air for 18 people for a year!
2. Shady Leaves and Branches Can Equal Savings on Heating and Cooling
Well-placed trees can save you money on your heating and cooling bills:
- A young, healthy tree can pack quite a punch. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, its cooling effects are comparable to running 10 room-sized air conditioners for 20 hours per day.
- Placing trees near a building can significantly decrease the necessity of air conditioning. According the USDA forest service, this can have up to a 30 percent reduction in cooling needs and save you 20-50 percent on heat.
- According to Dr. E. Greg McPherson from the Center for Urban Forest Research, planting a tree today on the west side of a building will reduce energy bills by 3% in 5 years. In 15 years, expect them to decrease by 12%.
3. Planting a Tree is an Investment That Can Impact Property Values
Adding just one tree to your property can offer a significant return on investment:
- The Arbor National Mortgage & American Forests finds that a mature tree’s appraised value is typically between $1,000 and $10,000.
- In a recent study by Arbor National Mortgage & American Forests, 83% of realtors said they believed trees had a significant impact on their ability to sell homes with a listing price less than $150,000. For homes priced at $250,000 and over, 98% believed the trees had a significant impact.
- A healthy, mature tree averages an additional 10 percent in value to a property, according to the USDA Forest Service.