When we list the things we have to be thankful for — family, friends, home, traditions, community, hope, nature — let’s include trees.
“Trees give us so much,” said Spencer Campbell, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
Some of what they have to give is easy to see on a walk in the woods or through the neighborhood: The beauty of their blooms in spring, their serene green shade in summer, their lacy bare branches in winter.
Many of our holiday flavors are gifts of trees. Apples are obvious, but trees also give us cinnamon from tree bark; cloves from tree buds; nutmeg from tree fruits; and nuts, including walnuts, almonds and pecans.
And that’s only what we can see and taste. “Science has proven that there’s also a lot more value to trees that’s not so obvious,” Campbell said.
Trees and other plants provide the oxygen in the air we breathe. Trees capture fine particles of pollution in their leaves and bark. Their wood is a storehouse of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere.
Some of the value of trees can be measured in money. The presence of trees in a neighborhood and on a property increases home values. In the right place, a shade tree that blocks the sun or an evergreen that blocks the wind can save energy in heating and cooling the house, reducing utility bills. Shoppers spend more in retail areas with trees.
Trees make our lives better in many other ways that have been proven by research. Communities with trees, and a green landscape in general, are better places to live, with lower crimes rates, more children playing outside and better connections between neighbors.
Being around trees has been shown to lower blood pressure; increase physical activity; reduce depression, anxiety and stress; and help hospital patients heal faster. Mortality is lower among people who live near green spaces.
The presence of trees is especially powerful for children. Where there are trees, they play outside more and learn better in the classroom. Walking or playing in a tree-filled outdoor space has been shown to reduce children’s symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
“We have a deep, ancient response to trees because they’ve always been part of the human experience,” Campbell said. “They connect us to nature.”
At this busy time of year, give yourself some time with trees. Swish through some fallen leaves on a trail. Now that you can see the shapes of their branches, notice how varied the trees are on your block. Imagine what your life would be like without them, and maybe give a little thanks.
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424,
mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.
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