Urban trees are a powerful force in America. They create jobs and opportunity. They cool our homes, increase property values, and deliver important benefits to society. Now, in a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Bureau of Business Research, in cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation and the USDA Forest Service, have quantified the value of the urban forestry sector to our national economy and our quality of life.
Project Partners:
Economic Footprint
Trees have a tremendous impact on local economies, from job creation to sales and services.
Employment
More than 500,000 people are employed as a result of urban forestry activities.
Investment
Communities enrolled in the Tree City USA® program invested an average of $7.37 per resident in tree planting and care in 2017, compared to just $3.00 per resident in nonparticipating communities.
Economy
The urban forestry sector has an annual sales and employment footprint worth $64 billion.
Quality-of-Life Benefits
The trees in communities across America are hard at work providing a wide range of benefits for all of us.
Environmental Benefits
Urban trees contribute $73 billion in community-wide environmental benefits each year.
$0 billion
in carbon sequestration
$0 billion
in air pollution filtration
$0 billion
in stormwater management
Property Values
$0 billion added annually to property values across
the U.S.
National Findings
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Key Study Findings
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Complete Study Report
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Tree City USA Bulletin
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Economics of Urban Forestry in the United States
State-Specific Findings
See how your state is contributing or download your full state report from the table below.
| State | Property Value (Millions $) Annual value trees add to residential home properties. |
Environmental Benefits (Millions $) The value of the impact trees have to society from pollution abatement and stormwater mitigation. |
Total Quality-of-Life Benefits (Millions $) Property values plus environmental benefit values. |
Download report (PDF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $939 | $3,675 | $4,614 | Download Report |
| Alaska | $2 | $0 | $2 | Download Report |
| Arizona | $46 | $184 | $230 | Download Report |
| Arkansas | $521 | $2,594 | $3,115 | Download Report |
| California | $917 | $3,221 | $4,138 | Download Report |
| Colorado | $365 | $603 | $967 | Download Report |
| Connecticut | $537 | $472 | $1,009 | Download Report |
| Delaware | $110 | $93 | $203 | Download Report |
| Florida | $2,017 | $4,432 | $6,449 | Download Report |
| Georgia | $1,757 | $4,739 | $6,496 | Download Report |
| Hawaii | $1 | $0 | $1 | Download Report |
| Idaho | $82 | $777 | $859 | Download Report |
| Illinois | $560 | $676 | $1,236 | Download Report |
| Indiana | $370 | $652 | $1,022 | Download Report |
| Iowa | $85 | $314 | $399 | Download Report |
| Kansas | $104 | $351 | $455 | Download Report |
| Kentucky | $632 | $1,388 | $2,021 | Download Report |
| Louisiana | $646 | $3,222 | $3,868 | Download Report |
| Maine | $350 | $1,583 | $1,933 | Download Report |
| Maryland | $804 | $567 | $1,371 | Download Report |
| Massachusetts | $1,118 | $799 | $1,917 | Download Report |
| Michigan | $1,063 | $2,047 | $3,110 | Download Report |
| Minnesota | $277 | $812 | $1,089 | Download Report |
| Mississippi | $592 | $4,176 | $4,769 | Download Report |
| Missouri | $541 | $1,094 | $1,635 | Download Report |
| Montana | $85 | $927 | $1,012 | Download Report |
| Nebraska | $25 | $121 | $145 | Download Report |
| Nevada | $29 | $265 | $293 | Download Report |
| New Hampshire | $356 | $458 | $815 | Download Report |
| New Jersey | $1,057 | $543 | $1,600 | Download Report |
| New Mexico | $79 | $606 | $685 | Download Report |
| New York | $1,759 | $1,922 | $3,681 | Download Report |
| North Carolina | $1,908 | $4,326 | $6,234 | Download Report |
| North Dakota | $6 | $62 | $68 | Download Report |
| Ohio | $1,132 | $1,274 | $2,406 | Download Report |
| Oklahoma | $304 | $1,201 | $1,505 | Download Report |
| Oregon | $604 | $2,001 | $2,605 | Download Report |
| Pennsylvania | $1,969 | $2,218 | $4,187 | Download Report |
| Rhode Island | $191 | $127 | $318 | Download Report |
| South Carolina | $1,068 | $2,698 | $3,766 | Download Report |
| South Dakota | $27 | $63 | $90 | Download Report |
| Tennessee | $1,070 | $1,727 | $2,798 | Download Report |
| Texas | $1,606 | $6,153 | $7,759 | Download Report |
| Utah | $169 | $423 | $592 | Download Report |
| Vermont | $152 | $400 | $553 | Download Report |
| Virginia | $1,410 | $2,469 | $3,879 | Download Report |
| Washington | $1,101 | $1,790 | $2,891 | Download Report |
| Washington, D.C. | $42 | $9 | $51 | Download Report |
| West Virginia | $471 | $1,354 | $1,826 | Download Report |
| Wisconsin | $456 | $1,386 | $1,842 | Download Report |
| Wyoming | $10 | $440 | $450 | Download Report |
MEDIA PROFESSIONALS:
If you have additional questions or would like to arrange an interview, please contact:
Jeff Salem
Sr. Public Relations & Media Manager
402-473-2024