Have you ever wondered why the City of Roundup and the Tree Board are so focused on removing and replanting trees? How does a healthy urban forest affect the health of the community? Do you sometimes wonder why your neighbor’s tree was removed and in most cases, a new tree was planted to replace it when you thought the tree looked perfectly fine or the tree next to it looked worse?
It is known throughout the urban forestry community that a healthy urban forest has a major impact on both the overall mental and physical health of a community. Some examples of the benefits of trees to our physical health are the following:
• Heart. Exposure to trees relaxes and restores the mind, lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
• General fitness. Green spaces and tree-lined streets encourage walking, outdoor activities and generally healthier lifestyles.
• Skin. Urban trees shade us from exposure to harmful UV rays, reducing the chances of developing skin cancer.
• Little ones. Urban trees are found to promote higher birth weights and support good health in newborns.
• Lungs. Trees help keep our community clean and healthy by filtering particles out of the air we breathe, decreasing the risk of respiratory illnesses.
• Nutrition. Fruit and nuts from trees contain antioxidants, which boost our immune systems and provide healthy fats to help decrease bad cholesterol levels.
• Comfort. Shade from a tree’s canopy can reduce temperatures by up to 20̊ F, making it safer and more comfortable to be outdoors.
• Disease fighting power. Being in and around nature helps our body’s immune system and boosts disease-fighting cells to act faster.
• Healing. Being able to see trees while recovering from surgery – as through a hospital window – increases a patient’s pain thresholds, requiring fewer pain relievers and shortening recovery time.
Next week we will discuss the benefits of trees on the mental health of our community.
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