![](/images/figure/figure-african-city-street-mother-and-baby.jpg)
Make the Case for Tree Cities of the World Status
Trees are a critical part of healthy communities. Making the case for more trees and tree care in your town or city may be as simple as sharing some statistics about the benefits.
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-blurred-mountain-river-with-greenery.jpg)
Clean Water
-
Water security is dependent on forests, estimating that forests provide 75 percent of the world’s accessible freshwater.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
-
Switzerland saves roughly $64 million per year by using freshwater from forested watersheds that requires no treatment.14
United Nation Economic Commission for Europe, 2004
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-spring-meadow-mountains.jpg)
Clean Air
-
Trees remove pollution from the atmosphere, improving air quality and human health.
U.S. Forest Service, 2013
-
Roadside trees reduce nearby indoor air pollution by more than 50%.
Lancaster University, United Kingdom, 2013
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-boy-splashing-in-puddle.jpg)
Stormwater Management
-
Trees reduce stormwater runoff by intercepting rainfall, evapotranspiration, and filtering and storing water in soil and forest litter.
Center for Watershed Protection, 2005
-
A single mature deciduous tree can intercept 500-760 gallons of rainfall per year, and a mature evergreen tree can intercept more than 4,000 gallons per year.
Penn State Extension, 2017
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-city-park-tree-shade.jpg)
Lower Urban Temperatures
-
Trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 4.0° C during the summer.
Building and Environment, 2012
-
Tree shade lowers surface temperatures in parking lots by approximately 20° C.
Journal of Arboriculture, 1999
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-power-station-in-mountains.jpg)
CO2 Absorption to Reduce Effects of Climate Change
-
During one year, a mature tree will absorb approximately 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.
European Environment Agency
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-happy-woman-sitting-yoga.jpg)
Better Mental Health
-
People experienced reduced psychological distress when they had access to quality green spaces.
European Journal of Public Health, 2015
-
Office workers with a view of trees report significantly less stress and more satisfaction.
Chungbuk National University, South Korea, 2007
-
Children living near natural green spaces have lower life stresses than those with little nearby nature.
Environment and Behavior, 2003
![](/images/thumb-grid/thumb-grid-preschool-aged-children-running.jpg)
Crime Reduction
-
In Baltimore, a 10% increase in tree canopy corresponded to a 12% decrease in crime.
University of Vermont and U.S. Forest Service, 2012
-
Among minor crimes, there is less graffiti, vandalism and littering in outdoor spaces with trees as a part of the natural landscape than in comparable plant-less spaces.
University of Washington
![](/images/logos/logo-tree-cities-of-the-world-landscape.png)
A program of:
![](/images/logos/logo-arbor-day-foundation-color.png)
![](/images/logos/logo-fao-color-landscape.png)