Trees for Thee, and for Me - Blog Post
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
-Chinese proverb
Home ownership is rewarding, but it can also be expensive and exhausting work. We may choose to paint the walls, maybe even install new kitchen appliances. These things immediately increase the value and enjoyment of our homes. Sooner than we’d like, however, it will be time to touch up the paint job and pay for appliance maintenance. Most of the investments we make as homeowners, as much as we enjoy them, are depreciating assets.
...with a few exceptions.
“Wealth is the thing you want. Wealth is assets that earn while you sleep.”
-Naval Ravikant, angel investor
Be Wealthy Several US studies have shown that well-landscaped yards with mature trees increase property values by 7 to 19 percent. Experts attribute this to an increase in privacy, shade, and aesthetics. So while we may need to head to the hardware store for more paint and call a technician to service our fridge, we can rest assured that at least one of our investments will not only sustain value, but grow in value right under the hot sun and rain clouds. Planting trees is good for more than just our wallets.
Be Healthy In Japan, the practice of “shinrin-yoku,” or “forest-bathing,” has proven to reduce stress and promote wellbeing. New research shows that we need not visit a distant greenspace and fully immerse ourselves, to see similar mental and physical health benefits. New Haven, Connecticut and Baltimore, Maryland each increased their tree canopy space by 10 percent. The results, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors, were exciting. New Haven saw a 14 percent decrease in property crimes and a 15 percent decrease in violent crimes. Baltimore’s outdoor crime saw a 12 percent decrease. Surrounding ourselves with trees is one of the best ways to cultivate a healthy environment for our neighbors.
Bee Wise Our human neighbors aren’t the only ones who benefit from planting trees. By now we’ve all heard the importance of conserving the pollinators so integral to our ecosystem. To support bees, butterflies, and beetles, we can plant flowers. All flowers take up yard space, and annual flowers need to be replanted each year. Enter trees: an additional aid in this endeavor that isn’t as labor-intensive and doesn’t take up as much ground space. Maple, fruit, and black tupelo trees are just a few examples of trees that produce overhead flowers year after year, with little maintenance. Even the bees get a good return on the investment.
Planting new trees is not only a great financial investment, it’s also a holistic way to nurture the health of our families, neighbors, and ecosystem.