Trees
Have Aesthetic Value and Improve Property Values
Trees add beauty to their surroundings by adding color to an area,
softening harsh lines of buildings, screening unsightly views and
contributing to the character of their environment. Trees have also
proven to contribute to a community’s economy and way of life.
Depending on species, maturity, quantity and location, property
values increase 5 to 15 percent when compared to properties without
trees.
Trees enhance their surroundings in many ways. Trees planted along
and around buildings provide a distraction for the eye, softening
the background and screening unsightly views. Trees also contribute
eye-catching colors to their surroundings, from the different shades
of green found in the leaves, the colors found in flowering trees
and sometimes even the bark of the tree.
Trees also lend to the preservation of streets paved with asphalt.
Asphalt paving contains stone aggregate in an oil binder. Without
shade provided by trees, the oil heats up and volatizes, leaving
the aggregate unprotected. Vehicles then drive over the aggregate
causing it to loosen which grinds down the pavement. Therefore,
not only do trees help to maintain the integrity of community roads,
they also lower costs expended on re-paving roadways.
The condition of a community’s trees and collectively, its
urban forests, is usually the first impression a community projects
to its visitors. A community’s urban forest is an extension
of its pride and community spirit. Studies show that trees also
enhance community economic stability by attracting businesses and
tourists as people tend to linger and shop longer along tree-lined
streets. Studies have also shown that apartments and offices in
wooded areas rent more quickly and businesses leasing office spaces
in developments with trees reported higher productivity and fewer
absences.
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