Parks Department

Tree Facts

• Trees are the longest living organisms on earth.
• Trees have been called “nature’s air conditioners,” and “the lungs of the earth”.
• Trees keep our air supply fresh and renew it by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. Two mature trees can provide enough oxygen for a family of four. In one year, a single tree can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driven 26,000 miles.
• If every American family planted one tree, more than 1 billion pounds of pollutants would be removed from the atmosphere every year.
• By cooling the air around them, the shade from trees helps cool the earth’s temp.
• Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as protecting watersheds.
• Tree roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
• Trees cut down noise pollution by acting as sound barriers.
• Studies show that the greenery and scenery of trees sped up recovery and decreased medication use by patients in hospitals.
• Trees increase property values by 5 to 20% due to their landscaping value.
• In 50 years, one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.