Startling research from the U.S. Forest Service reveals that urban trees are more than just climate champions. They're playing a pivotal public health role in cities. The more trees in your neighborhood, the less violent crime, fewer prescriptions for antidepressants, and lower rates of asthma, childhood leukemia, and other immune diseases. These leafy giants affect everything from improved pregnancy outcomes to longer life expectancy. While saving the Amazon grabs headlines, the trees right outside your door shape your life in important ways.
Vital to public health, urban trees are also a smart investment. By boosting property values, they generate enough tax revenue to cover planting and maintenance costs three times over. Thanks to a historic $1.5 billion from the Inflation Reduction, earmarked for the U.S. Forest Service's Urban and Community Forest Program, cities nationwide are accelerating tree planting.
This week, Geoffrey Donovan, an urban forester and economist with the U.S. Forest Service, joins the show. His groundbreaking research over the past two decades is reshaping how urban planners and policymakers think about the essential role of trees in city life.
Whether you're deciding where to live or thinking about your neighborhood's vibrance and vitality, it’s time to start asking about the quantity, diversity, and maturity of your local trees.