ARBORIST

Trees are essential to our health and well-being. Besides beautifying the landscape, they perform these key functions:

• Trees Provide Life-Giving Oxygen
  People and animals need oxygen to breathe and stay alive. Trees give off oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. That's enough to meet the annual oxygen needs of eighteen people!
• Trees Cool Temperatures and Lower Air-Conditioning Costs
  Trees keep our environment cool and help cut down on energy use. The USDA estimates that the cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating twenty hours a day. The U.S. Forest Service says that the proper placement of trees around buildings can cut air-conditioning needs by 30 percent and save 20 to 50 percent in energy costs.
• Trees Help Prevent Erosion
  Trees protect our valuable farmlands and woodlands, as well as our water supply, by preventing soil loss, or erosion. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the planting of trees means improved water quality because there is less erosion of lakesides and riverbanks and runoff of sediments and chemicals into our waterways. Less runoff also means more recharging of the groundwater supply.
• Trees Increase Property Values
  Planting trees can improve a property's value. That means homeowners can sell their property for more money. Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent, according to the U.S. Forest Service.