Green guy: Trees, in the end, are a real bargain

We’ve all heard the adage “Money doesn’t grow on trees” at some point, especially as children. Granted, we can point out that fruit, timber and other such goods are indeed abundant in our economy, suggesting that money really does grow on trees, so long as one can sell those products. And because those products have a market price, we can readily make decisions about purchasing them; e.g., you might buy apples when they are $1 per pound, but at $3 per pound, you might not.

But what about values that are not so apparent? Some things don’t show their true value until later down the road. Purchasing a gym membership is a perfect example. Your upfront cost might seem like a waste based on just one week’s results, but if you’re disciplined and use the facility for half a year, the value of your membership is better appreciated: stay consistent, and you’ll reap the rewards of better health and likely lower health care costs in the long run.

This goes for trees planted in our towns and cities. At first glance, it may be easy to undervalue the benefits of planting trees in our yards or along a street. We might look at just the upfront costs and work, and simply scratch the idea.

Research shows that the initial burden is far outweighed by what trees provide us in terms of stormwater collection, shade, energy reduction, habitat, and pollution reduction, just to name a few.

Now, putting a price on all this isn’t always the easiest, and it varies by site; but generally, for every dollar invested into an urban tree, the community can see a return of $2 to $5, based on findings that street trees can reduce summer temperatures by 3 to 5 degrees; a single mature tree can collect 1,600 gallons of precipitation a year; shade over pavement can help reduce long-term resurfacing costs by more than 40 percent; trees planted in yards increase home values by 5 percent to 20 percent; noise can be reduced by more than 50 percent along tree-lined corridors; one properly placed mature tree can reduce carbon by nearly 1,000 pounds; particulates from exhaust gases can be cut in half by established trees; and the list goes on. You can find more information online on the many benefits of urban forests, but I encourage you instead to simply go out and see for yourself the difference a tree can make.

Consider, too, that besides planting new trees, properly caring for already established trees yields value. The benefits of an urban forest are, after all, most effectively achieved by properly grown trees.

So who says money doesn’t grow on trees?

Chris Gass is a Minnesota GreenCorps member with the Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District whose columns will focus on environmental topics and stewardship, particularly in cities and towns.