Caring for Your Trees

Trees Along the WaterBenefits of Trees

Among the direct economic benefits of trees are lowered energy costs to homeowners-lower air conditioning costs and lower heating costs when trees are planted as windbreaks-and value added from landscaped versus non-landscaped homes (from 5 to 20% value difference). The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Benefits of trees include:

  • Trees serve as noise barriers. 
  • Birds are attracted to the area. 
  • Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particulates. 
  • Rain then washes pollutants to the ground. 
  • Leaves absorb carbon dioxide from the air, as well as other pollutants, ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. 
  • They give off oxygen. 
  • Temperature near trees is cooler than it is away from them. 
  • Trees moderate the heat effects of pavement/concrete in urban settings. 
  • Wind speed and direction can be affected by trees. 
  • Trees reduce stormwater runoff and the possibility of flooding.
  • Trees improve air quality, moderate the climate, conserve water, and harbor wildlife.

Arborists Weigh in on Benefits

According to New Jersey certified arborists:

  • One mature tree provides enough oxygen for four people.
  • A single maple tree with a diameter of 30 centimeters can extract between 5 and 10 grams of heavy metals from the soil each year, which helps decontaminate urban lands.
  • A healthy mature tree can absorb between 2.5 and 5.0 kilograms of carbon each year, which slows down climate change, and about 7,000 fine particulates in each liter of air, which decreases the incidence of respiratory diseases.
  • Trees protect us against the heat island effect by creating shade and pulling water out of the soil and into the atmosphere; a large oak tree can transpire more than 400 liters of water a day.

Invasive Species List

Resolution 16-364 (PDF) recommending invasive species do not plant list. Princeton Environmental Commission also released a Do Not Plant list (PDF) that can be helpful.

Hazards to Your Trees

Tree-Related Links