General

Do you know how trees help you?

Remember that fairytale about Jack and the beanstalk?

Jack trades the family cow for a handful of magic beans. The beans quickly sprout a strong leaf-filled vine that stretches high into the clouds, and Jack climbs up for an adventure.

Walk into the backyard of OPPD retiree Dan Hedrick and you might think Jack tossed his beans there. A magical tree has been growing there since before he and his wife, Kathy, moved in 44 years ago.

The “large-leafed tree,” as they refer to it, towers 35 to 40 feet high and bears leaves as long as 19 inches. When the Hedricks’ grandkids were young, they created a “Kid’s Cove” at the base of the tree.

“They spent hours playing in that tiny area,” said Hedrick.

This large-leaf tree is thought to be a fast-growing Empress tree. Countless family and friends have marveled at it over the years. Its downfall? The leaves pose a challenge when raking each fall, a task now delegated to the grandkids.

The benefits of trees

In addition to beautifying their backyard and providing a cozy play spot, those leafy canopies provide much needed cooling during the hot months.

“The cooling effect under a shade tree can amount to a 20-degree difference,” according to OPPD senior utility forester Mike Norris. People living, working and playing outside during heat waves welcome that shade, one of the many benefits of trees.

Norris said these are a few ways trees benefit communities. For the past 27 years, he has worked with OPPD’s Forestry group to educate the public about trees, especially why it is important to plant the right tree in the right place.

One way Norris does that is by directing people to OPPD’s Arboretum at 108^th and Blondo streets in northwest Omaha. The 26-acre facility has hundreds of trees and other plantings, providing beauty year-round. Signage and plant markers help educate visitors as to what they are seeing.

Here are more a few benefits of trees.

Trees help clean the air

Trees remove pollution from the atmosphere, improving air quality and human health.

One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and releases four tons of oxygen, enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.

Trees contribute positively to people’s health

In addition to providing clean air, studies have shown that neighborhood trees can reduce stress, improve overall health and development in children, and encourage physical activity.

Studies also have shown that a view of trees can speed up healing times for hospital patients.

And those shade canopies also reduce dangerous ultra-violet rays by about 50 percent, minimizing harmful effects that can lead to skin cancer.

Trees help clean drinking water

Trees help protect water quality by capturing, storing and using rainwater, reducing runoff and trapping pollutants.

Forests, which naturally filter rainwater, provide drinking water to more than 150 million people in the U.S.

Trees help save energy

A properly placed tree can reduce air conditioning need of a home or building by 30% and can save 20 to 50% in energy used for heating.

Planting trees (or taller plants) around sun-exposed windows helps regulate indoor temperatures year-round. In addition to filtering sunlight, trees also act as a wind break, helping to soften frigid winds.

Trees are a food source

Trees provide a variety of fruits, nuts, saps, and even some tree barks and leaves for human consumption. Many wildlife species count on foliage, nectar, pollen, berries, seeds and nuts for their survival. Pine needles provide food for moth and butterfly larvae; cherry trees are pollinators for early season bee species;. and songbirds love Dogwood and Pagoda fruits, to name a few.

Trees provide shelter

Trees provide a vital wildlife habitat for birds, squirrels, bugs and more. But they also create special spaces for people, providing cover for a quaint seating area or a secret hideaway, like the one the Hedrick grandkids created.

If you are thinking of planting a tree, there are lots of reasons to dig in.

Sources. Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, U.S. Forest Service, Energy.gov.