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The Many Benefits of Trees
Posted: July 27, 2010

Lower crime rates, a healthier environment and extra cash are just a few of the benefits of adding a few trees to a yard.

Trees have many positives other than just beautification. The Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau lists three categories of tree benefits: economic, environmental and social.

One of the main economic reasons to place trees near a home is to minimize the amount of energy used throughout the year. This decrease in electricity can save you up to $60, depending on the type of trees planted.

During the summer, trees save energy consumption by blocking the sun's glare resulting in a cooler home at a lower cost and in the winter, acting as a wind break.

Emma Bruemmer, state urban forestry coordinator at the DNR, said that during the summer months, shaded areas can be up to 10 degrees cooler than areas in direct sunlight. On April 29, 2010, the Des Moines Register printed an article titled "The Benefit of Just One Tree." The article states that the shade cast on a home from one tree can save enough electricity to power four 60-watt light bulbs for one year.

Location is important when planting a tree. According to the publication "Landscaping for Energy Conservation" on the ISU Forestry Extension Web site, the east and west portions of a property are the best areas to plant in preparation for the summer. Most of the unwanted heat comes from sunlight shining through windows from these directions, so planting in this area ensures maximum shade during hot and humid days.

Planting trees in the proper location prior to winter can also be beneficial. Bruemmer said that the majority of wind comes from the north and the west. Putting a row of trees in these areas will serve as a windbreak and potentially keep a home warmer without as much electricity.

Another important factor in the winter is the position of the sun. The publication "Landscaping for Energy Conservation" says that during these months, the sun is at lower angle causing most of the sunlight to shine through the southern windows. When choosing to plant in this location, choose a smaller type of tree or one that looses their leaves in the winter to ensure the sun's warm rays won't be blocked.

Location is only part of this process; choosing the right tree for the right job is also important. Deciduous shade trees are best for adding shade on those summer days. Recommended types for this purpose include the maples and the lindens.

When picking trees to serve as a windbreak, it is best to choose conifers. A publication titled "Farmstead Windbreaks" from the ISU Forest Extension Web site states that conifers retain their leaves during the winter making them a better choice than deciduous trees.

Common types of conifers in Iowa include white pine, ponderosa pine, red pine, Jack pine, eastern red cedar, Black Hills spruce, Colorado spruce, Douglas and concolor fir. Scotch pine is not recommended because of problems with disease. For more information on windbreaks, go to http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1717.pdf.

Another economic benefit to adding trees to a yard is the increased property value. The United States Forest Service states that trees can increase a home's value up to 10 percent. They go on to say that if a home has three mature trees and it's worth $200,000, the value could be increased by $20,000.

The second category of the benefits is the environmental aspect. Trees help clean the air. The publication from the ISU Forestry Extension states that trees remove toxins like sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide by absorbing them through the pores in their leaves. Trees are able to remove 1.2 tons of carbon monoxide in addition to 130 pounds of other pollutants every year.

Second, trees help prevent erosion and flooding by soaking up rain and slowing runoff. This publication goes on to state that about 77,000 gallons of water every year are caught by every 100 mature trees.

Lastly, there are social benefits from planting trees. Trees can improve health, lower neighborhood crime and create privacy both in visual and sound.

"There have been some studies that children with A.D.H.D. have a better time focusing when they're surrounded by a natural environment," Bruemmer said. "People in hospitals usually recover faster when they have a view outside."

Bruemmer said that the reason lower crime rates take place in neighborhoods with shaded trees is because they have a calming factor that comes into play.

Trees can also serve as a sound barrier. Neighborhoods next to highways containing trees remain quieter than ones that don't. In addition, they can give a yard a sense of privacy and be used to show property lines as well.

Knowing the benefits of trees and where to properly place them is only part of the process. The next step is the planting. Although it may seem quite expensive, most energy companies have special programs helping their customers' plant at a reasonable price.

Alliant Energy has a program called Operation ReLeaf which was established in 2001. Laura Wagner, operation releaf/trees for kids coordinator, said that Alliant Energy's purpose with this program is to provide residential trees in urban areas for a variety of aspects including reduced energy costs, increased beautification and increased property.

Alliant Energy has eight distribution sites in the fall and eight to 10 in the spring. Each site has an average of 300 trees available at $25 per tree, with a two tree limit per person. More information is available on their Web site at www.alliantenergy.com/releaf or by calling Lisa Wagner at 515-281-6749.

MidAmerican Energy also has a similar program called "Plant Some Shade" and was established over a decade ago. Mark Reinders, commutations manager at the Sioux City office said that their mission is designed to work with local conservation boards, county extension offices and other environmental groups to provide what they view as affordable landscape trees for residents to plant on their property.

He said the trees average 6 to 8 feet tall and cost $30 each. There is a limit of two per person. Customers must pay for the trees in advance and pick them up later at a distribution site. Dates, locations and times of the distribution sites as well as the order forms are available online at http://www.midamericanenergy.com/ee/ia_res_shade.aspx or by calling 1-800-434-4017.