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Computer modeling estimates that urban trees in the contiguous U.S. remove 711,000 metric tons of carbon, monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide each year, a service with an annual...

Nowak, David J., Daniel E. Crane, and Jack C. Stevens. (2006). Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 4(3), 115-123.

The monetary benefits of urban trees outweigh their maintenance and other associated costs. In a study of five U.S. cities, each dollar invested in urban trees returned between $1.37 and $3.09 in benefits. Benefits...

McPherson, Greg, James R. Simpson, Paula J. Peper, Scott E. Maco, and Qingfu Xiao. (2005). Municipal forest benefits and costs in five U.S. cities. Journal of Forestry 103(8), 411-416.

Surveys in cities across the U.S. indicate that consumers are willing to spend 9% to 12% more for goods and services in central business districts with high quality tree canopy.

Wolf, Kathleen L. (2005). Business district streetscapes, trees, and consumer response. Journal of Forestry 103(8): 396-400.

A Modesto, California study found that asphalt on streets shaded by large canopy trees lasts longer than asphalt on unshaded streets, reducing maintenance costs by 60% over 30 years.

McPherson, E. Gregory, and Jules Muchnick. Effects of Street Tree Shade on Asphalt Concrete Pavement Performance. Journal of Arboriculture 31, no. 6 (2005): 303-310.

Evidence from studies in inner-city Chicago links trees and grassy areas to stronger ties among neighbors, a greater sense of safety, healthier patterns of play in children, more use of neighborhood common spaces...

Kuo, Frances E. (2003). The role of arboriculture in a healthy social ecology. Journal of Arboriculture. 29(3), 148-155.

In a nationwide survey, residents of revitalizing neighborhood business districts indicated that they would be willing to travel farther, visit more often, stay longer, and pay more for parking when visiting retail...

Wolf, Kathleen L. (2003). Public response to the urban forest in inner-city business districts. Journal of Arboriculture, 29(3), 117-126.

In a study of residents of a Chicago public housing complex, women living in buildings with trees and grass immediately outside reported committing fewer aggressive and violent acts against their partners than those...

Kuo, Frances E., and William C. Sullivan. (2001). Aggression and violence in the inner city: Effects of environment via mental fatigue. Environment and Behavior 33(4), 543-471.

A Berlin study found that proximity to playgrounds in residential areas raised land values by up to 16%. The same study found a high number of street trees to raise values by 17%.

Luther, Mike, and Dietwald Gruehn. (2001). Putting a price on urban green spaces. Landscape Design: Journal of the Landscape Institute, 303, 23-26.

Using cool roofs, urban shade trees, and high-albedo pavements to mitigate urban heat islands, can potentially reduce U.S. energy use for air conditioning by 20%, saving over $4 billion per year in energy use. When...

Akbari, Hashem, Mel Pomerantz, and Haider Taha. (2001). Cool surfaces and shade trees to reduce energy use and improve air quality in urban areas, Solar Energy, 70 (3), 295-310.

Research in Tel Aviv determined that the presence of trees cooled the air from between 0.5°F on a heavily trafficked street to 2°F in a small (0.37 acre) garden. The study also found that the cooling effects could...

Shashua-Bar, L., and M. E. Hoffman. (2000). Vegetation as a climatic component in the design of an urban street: an empirical model for predicting the cooling effects of green urban areas with trees. Energy and Buildings. 31(3). 221-235.

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