LISLE, IL (April 12, 2013) – How often do we stop and pay attention to the trees in our lives? What would it mean if all those trees just disappeared?
In celebration of Arbor Day, The Morton Arboretum is hanging tree tags that call attention to the personal benefits of trees. Starting at 7:30 a.m. on April 19, teams of volunteers from the Arboretum and BMO Harris will place tags on roughly two thousand trees in the City of Chicago to showcase the environmental and economic benefits of trees. The tags will be hung from Roosevelt to as far north as Division, as far west as Clinton and as far east as Millennium Park. The tags will stay up for two weeks.
The theme for the tree tags this year is “Every Tree Matters.” Six different tags will be hung, sharing the following messages:
- Trees clean the air we breathe. They can remove carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, fine particles and other pollutants. The more trees we plant, the more pollution they can absorb to benefit our health. Large, mature trees with many leaves capture the most pollution.
- Trees keep us cooler. They shade our homes so we use less electricity for air conditioning. That means fewer greenhouse gases are produced in generating power. In cities, planting lots of trees can reduce the “heat island effect” caused by heat stored in paving and masonry buildings. By casting shade and giving off moisture, a big shade tree can reduce the surrounding temperature by 10 to 15 degrees.
- Trees increase our homes’ value. Homes in neighborhoods with mature trees sell for at least 10 percent more than in neighborhoods without trees. Trees are good for business too: Shoppers will travel farther to shop in tree-lined business districts and tend to spend more.
- Trees make our streets quieter. They reduce noise by absorbing sound, especially at high frequencies. A band of trees and shrubs planted on a raised berm can reduce highway noise by 6 to 10 decibels.
- Trees help us relax. The sight of trees reduces blood pressure, helps hospital patients recover, and increases worker productivity. Exposure to trees and nature reduces children’s stress. Drivers who can see trees and nature are less frustrated.
- Trees make our cities safer. In city areas with nearby trees and natural landscapes, there is less domestic violence. Apartment complexes with many trees had 52 percent fewer crimes. On tree-lined streets, people drive more slowly, reducing accident risk.
“Many of us don’t stop and think about the importance of trees as we pass by them. This Arbor Day, we are helping Chicagoans remember that our trees aren’t just beautiful, they also provide us with very real economic and health benefits,” says Nicole Cavender, vice president of science and conservation. “When passersby read the tree tags and begin to understand how trees affect each one of them personally, the hope is they will care more for the trees in their own communities.”
To learn more about the benefits of trees, visit mortonarb.org/everytreematters. Or, if you see a tree with a tag, you can scan the code located on the bottom right hand corner to learn more about why trees matter. To learn more ways to celebrate Arbor Day, visit mortonarb.org/arborday.
BMO Harris Bank is the Contributing Sponsor for Arbor Week at The Morton Arboretum.
About The Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized outdoor tree museum on 1,700 acres. Plant collections, scientific research and education programs support the mission to plant and conserve trees and other plants for a greener, healthier and more beautiful world. Designed with natural landscapes, the grounds include the award-winning, four-acre interactive Children’s Garden, the one-acre Maze Garden, plus specialty gardens, 16 miles of trails and nine miles of roads. Visitor experiences include the open-air tram ride, guided walks, Arbor Day celebrations, concerts, art shows, Fall Color Festival, and special exhibits. The Arboretum welcomes more than 800,000 visitors annually and serves more than 35,600 members. Located 25 miles west of Chicago in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open daily 7 a.m. until sunset. Learn more at mortonarb.org.