Our Landscape Architect, Mark Smith, works remotely from Sarasota, Florida.  He continues to make a positive impact upon the environments in which our Pennsylvania clients live.  Last month, he took his extensive knowledge and used it to positively impact his own neighborhood. The HOA of the development in which he lives, was proposing to remove all the palm trees on the tree lined street in which he lives.  Through his persuasive presentation at two town meetings, he was able to save the beautiful trees in his neighborhood.

Mark states: “The benefits of our street trees are numerous. They define our neighborhoods, lining our streets, casting shade upon parked cars, pedestrians, bicyclists and homes. They bring us simple joy in a fast-paced crazy life. They sequester carbon and contribute to our environment. Trees have also been proven to increase property values, showing how truly valuable they are.

Mark has listed for us 15 Reasons Why Street Trees are Beneficial (and not just Palm Trees!):

1. Define our neighborhoods
2. Create a sense of place/community identity
3. Cast shade upon parked cars pedestrians bicyclists and homes, cooling the air
4. Bring simple joy in a fast-paced crazy life
5. Sequester carbon and contribute to our environment
6. Reduce motorist speeds
7. Reduce crime
8. Intercept stormwater
9. Reduce flooding
10. Filter pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone…Cleaning the air
11. Encourage physical exercise and activity, by drawing people outside
12. Proven to improve mental health
13. Financial benefits, raising property values; Home values in neighborhoods with street trees are shown to be $15,000-$25,000 more than equivalent homes in equivalent neighborhoods with NO Street trees
14. Homes in tree-lined neighborhoods statistically sell faster, with less days on the market
15. In some communities such as Seattle trees are assessed a financial value, which can easily be $3,000-$5,000