The Benefits of Planting Trees

Greening Your Home Part 3

In this 3-part series, Greening Your Home, you’ll learn ways to make your home more energy-efficient while also saving you money in the long run. Caring about the environment and being “green” can be easier than you think as a homeowner. You can start today!

Here’s the final article and it’s all about why to plant trees in your yard.

Did you know that by adding a tree to your yard, you can increase your property value and save on energy costs?

Why Trees Help Your Home according to ReLeaf Michigan:

• Air
  • Trees improve air quality by producing oxygen and storing carbon.
  • 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 430 pounds of other pollutants every year
• Water & Soil
  • Trees improve water quality by:
    • Filtering pollutants
    • Stabilizing soils
    • Absorbing rainwater
    ​• Reducing erosion
• Energy
  • Trees reduce our energy usage by providing shade.
  • The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day
• Biodiversity
  • Trees support biodiversity by providing food, shelter, and habitat for wildlife.
  • A single tree can be home to hundreds of other forms of life, including mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, and other plants
• Economic Benefits
  • Trees improve the economic viability of communities. In tree-lined areas: 
    • Visitors spend 9 to 12% more in businesses
    • Residential property values increase up to 37%
• Trees Also:
  • Reduce noise pollution
  • Encourage neighborhood interactions
  • Reduce graffiti and crime
  • Reduce speeding in residential areas

Many groups are concerned with the tree canopy in certain neighborhoods and want to help homeowners plant trees. The Mayor of Grand Rapid’s “Greening Initiative” yearly focuses on tree plantings in an area of the city that has low tree canopy cover. Typically, the event includes a street tree planting project with volunteers, a tree giveaway for private properties, and a seedling giveaway for students, all in coordination with Arbor Day in April.

Keep a lookout for other local community tree programs that might offer reduced-priced trees native to our area. For more information on West Michigan’s native trees click on the following link  https://www.westmichiganglsi.org/trees.html.

The top 22 tree nurseries in Grand Rapids, Michigan according to trees.com can be found at the following link: https://www.trees.com/tree-nurseries/grand-rapids-mi

Happy planting!