The Benefits of Planting & Maintaining Trees

Planting and maintaining trees provides an excellent way to show you care about the environment. Trees help connect us to the land, provide cooling shade, and help to restore air quality.

The Park Commission implements a tree management program and has been planting trees in our parks, golf courses, and public gardens for many decades.

Trees provide many ecological benefits essential to the quality of our lives. Some of the ecological benefits and great reasons to plant trees are:

·      Trees reduce carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Just as people breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, trees help us by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.

·      Trees provide food, shelter, and nesting places for birds and animals. Numerous species of wildlife depend upon trees for their habitat.

·      When trees are sited and planted to shade hard surface areas such as asphalt driveways and cement, the shade cools the air by decreasing ambient day and nighttime heat.

·      Trees improve air quality by filtering harmful dust, pollen, smoke, and other pollutants.

·      Trees reduce erosion and absorb water which helps to prevent flooding and reduce the amount of storm water runoff. By slowing the rainwater so it can be absorbed into the ground, trees also help to increase recovery of ground water.

·      Evergreen trees planted on the north side of a house can function as a windbreak, reducing the cooling effects of winter winds, thus reducing heat loss from the house.

·      Trees absorb and reduce noise pollution and can be intentionally sited to screen unappealing views.

·      Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides of a house provide cooling shade in summer, but in winter the leafless tree branches enable sunlight to pass and help to keep the house warm.

·      Trees are visually appealing, provide environmental sustainability, and can be a living legacy for upcoming generations.

For information on Somerset County Park Commission programs and activities, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-722-1200.