Trees
Studying the Health Benefits of Trees
March 2025
Trees, the natural mood booster.
If you're feeling anxious, down, or just plain grouchy, chances are that trees can help you! Going outside and sitting under a tree, walking on a shady path, or the activity of planting a tree can help change your mood for the better. The American Psychiatric Association cited a 2019 study:
"The study found that people living in neighborhoods with 30% or more covered in tree canopy (the layer of leaves, branches and tree stems that covers the ground when viewed from above) compared to those in neighborhoods with 0% to 9% tree canopy were almost one-third less likely to experience psychological distress. The heavier tree canopy was also associated with better general health."
March 2024
One of my colleagues recently shared an article that appeared in the Washington Post on January 29th of this year. It's about a cardiology researcher who is studying the effects of trees and greenery on people's physical and mental health. He chose Louisville, KY., for the research and started the "Green Heart Louisville" initiative in 2018. Since then, contractors and volunteers have planted over 8,000 trees and shrubs in a cluster of middle-to-lower income neighborhoods and measured health data from about 500 residents. Today the project involves fifty researchers, four universities, four non-profit groups, five state and local governments, and the U.S. Forest Service.
The study is still going, so there aren’t any final results yet. But some interesting things are emerging. One hypothesis, for example is that trees release natural chemicals into the air that reduce blood pressure and stress.
washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/29/louisville-trees-heart-health/
Tree Resources
Is that tree a city-owned tree?
The City of San Dimas has an interactive map where you can type your address or zoom in on a map, and you'll see if the tree by your curb or the sidewalk is a city tree. There are over 9,000 city trees in San Dimas. It's interesting (and fun) to see where they are.
sandimasca.gov/departments/parks_and_recreation/trees/index.php