9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
LESSON 1
What’s It Worth?
NUTSHELL
In this lesson, students review what urban forests and ecosystems are. They analyze
data about the benefits and costs of maintaining trees in urban forests and fill
out a worksheet. Then, in small groups, students read and discuss summaries of research
about the benefits to humans from a social perspective. Finally, the class discusses
which of the benefits they learned about also may relate to rural forests.
BIG IDEAS
• An urban forest is all the trees and other
vegetation in and around a town, village, or
city. Plants, people, and animals are part of
the urban forest. (Subconcept 1)
• An urban forest is an ecosystem. An
ecosystem is an area that contains living
(e.g., trees, people, animals) and nonliving
(e.g., soil, buildings, roads) things existing
together and interacting. Humans play a
dominant role in the urban ecosystem.
(Subconcept 2)
• The urban tree canopy retains stormwater,
reduces heat island effects, absorbs
pollutants, and provides wildlife habitat.
These benefits are important and
quantifiable. (Subconcept 6)
• Urban forests affect the physical and
psychological health of human residents.
(Subconcept 7)
• A healthy urban forest can provide economic
benefits including reduced energy costs,
reduced stormwater runoff, and increased
property values. (Subconcept 8)
• The benefits of healthy, well-maintained
urban forests outweigh the costs to maintain
them. (Subconcept 9)
• Research can show potential benefits of
proper management, identify new uses for
trees, find ways to protect urban forests
from insects and disease, and suggest
improvements for tree care techniques.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, students will
be able to:
• Define the term “urban forest.”
• Describe how parts of urban forest ecosystems
are connected.
• Describe benefits the tree canopy in an urban
forest provides (stormwater retention, pollution
absorption, etc.).
• Explain how urban forests affect the physical
and psychological health of human residents.
• List and explain ways urban forests provide
economic benefits.
• Compare the benefits to the costs of
well-maintained urban forests.
SUBJECT AREAS
Economics, Social Studies
LESSON/ACTIVITY TIME
• Total Lesson Time: 90 minutes
• Time Breakdown:
Introduction .................................5
Activity 1....................................30
Activity 2....................................40
Conclusion ................................15
minutes
minutes
minutes
minutes
TEACHING SITE
Classroom
(Subconcept 25)
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9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS LIST
K-4
• Copy of one summary from Student Pages
!6A-F, Human-Environment Studies
• Calculator
FOR THE TEACHER
• Teacher Page A1, Benefits
• Teacher Pages A2A-B, Costs
• Teacher Page Ak3, Cost/Benefit
Comparison Key
9-12
Benefits
• Copy of Student Page !2, Small Tree Costs
• Copy of Student Page !3, Large Tree
Benefits
• Copy of Student Page !4, Large Tree Costs
• Copy of Student Page !5, Cost/Benefit
Comparison
5-8
FOR EACH STUDENT
• Copy of Student Page !1, Small Tree
!1-5 on different colored paper.
BACKGROUND
AN ECOSYSTEM
An ecosystem is an area that contains
organisms (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria)
interacting with one another and their nonliving
environment. It is often considered an oxymoron
to say “urban forest” because the images of a
forest conjured up in the minds of most people
involve acres of woodlands with large trees,
small trees, shrubs, and forbs and herbs. Rarely
do we envision people as part of a forest. An
urban forest is all the trees and other vegetation
in and around a city, village, or development.
A closer look at the definition of forest proves
that the urban forest truly fits the description.
An urban forest contains living things such as
trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, animals, insects,
birds, and also contains abiotic factors such as
sunlight, water, pavement, soil, cars, and wind.
All the functions that take place in “natural”
ecosystems also take place in cities, but cities
are affected more by human government,
economy, and culture. Humans have modified
soil, created pollution, removed vegetation,
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
planted species that are not native, and paved
acres of land. According to the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources - Division of
Forestry publication Wisconsin Forests at the
Millennium: an Assessment, Wisconsin has
1.7 million acres of urban forest. That represents
about 4.7 percent of Wisconsin’s land area.
SOCIAL BENEFITS
Just as with a rural forest, urban forests provide
many benefits. Numerous studies have been
done about the social and psychological
benefits of “green” in urban environments.
The findings of the studies make a strong
case for the importance of urban forests.
Urban public housing residents who lived in
buildings without trees and grass nearby were
asked about how they cope with major life
issues. They reported more procrastination
and assessed their issues as more severe than
residents with green nearby.
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
103
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
• Make copies of Student Pages
APPENDIX
TEACHER PREPARATION
INTRODUCTION
K-4
A study done with children with Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD) found that children with ADD
were better able to focus and concentrate after
playing in natural, green settings, than in those
where concrete was predominant.
5-8
Apartment buildings with high levels of greenery
have been shown to have approximately half
the number of crimes than those with little or
no greenery. The results proved true for both
property crimes and violent crimes. A similar
9-12
VOCABULARY
Canopy: The leaves and branches of a tree
or group of trees.
APPENDIX
Carbon Sequestration: The capture
and storage of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere into biotic (e.g., trees) or abiotic
(e.g., coal) pools of carbon.
Ecosystem: An area that contains organisms
(e.g., plants, animals, bacteria) interacting
with one another and their nonliving
environment (e.g., climate, soil, topography).
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
Evapotranspiration: The loss of water by
evaporation from the soil surface and by
transpiration from plants.
Forest: An ecosystem that is characterized
by a dominance of tree cover and contains
a variety of other organisms (e.g., other
plants, animals).
Heat Island: The phenomenon that, because
concrete and asphalt absorb and radiate heat,
cities are five to nine degrees warmer than
rural areas.
Runoff: Water that flows on the surface of
the ground.
Urban Forest: A forest ecosystem that
includes all the trees and other vegetation
in and around a town, village, or city.
Plants, people, and animals are part of
the urban forest.
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Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
study found that residents living in areas without
nearby nature reported more aggression and
violence than those living with nearby green.
The impact of nature found nearby to inner
city girls’ homes was studied in relation to
self-discipline. The study revealed that, on
average, the more nature a girl is exposed
to near home, the higher her self-discipline.
Access to nature also provides humans with
other social benefits. Parks and other green
spaces provide a space for people to play, walk,
jog, birdwatch, or just sit quietly. These activities
are good for our physical health in a society that
is increasingly sedentary. It is also good for our
mental health, providing a place to unwind.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
The economic benefits of urban forests are
increasingly being documented. Economics
often becomes the language used when it
comes to urban forest management. Budgets of
municipalities must cover an array of services,
and the benefits of an urban ecosystem must
often be proven to secure funding. In a study that
considered the costs and benefits of municipal
forests in five U.S. cities, the researchers found
that for every dollar spent, the benefits returned
were worth from $1.37 to $3.09. A little math
tells us this is clearly a good investment.
Trees save money through reduced energy
costs. Cities create what is referred to as a heat
island. The concrete, asphalt, buildings, and
other surfaces collect and hold heat from the
sun. During hot summer days, cities can be
five to nine degrees warmer than surrounding
areas. Shading, evapotranspiration, and wind
speed reduction all help conserve energy in
buildings. A study conducted in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, showed that trees placed in the
proper location can reduce total heating and
cooling costs by eight percent.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
One economic benefit that urban trees can
provide, but often don’t, is one based on
products. Municipalities and tree services
across the country have come up with ways to
use the wood that is cut from an urban forest.
Products range from specialty furniture, to
musical instruments, to lumber for shelters,
to artwork. These products from the wood of
trees being removed could be used to defray
the cost associated with the removal, making
trees an even better investment.
ECOLOGIC BENEFITS
Benefits often fall into more than one category.
Such is the case for energy savings. Not only
does reducing energy consumption save money,
it has ecological benefits as well. With reduced
energy consumption comes reduced pollution.
According to a publication by the USDA Forest
Service, urban forests provide four main air
quality benefits:
• They absorb gaseous pollutants (e.g.,
ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide)
through leaf surfaces.
- Gaseous pollutants are absorbed through
leaf stomata during the normal exchange
of gases.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
INTRODUCTION
K-4
5-8
9-12
Water runoff from rainfall is something most city
planners have to deal with. However, most of
the runoff control methods create a host of
problems such as pollution, failure to recharge
groundwater, and loss of wildlife. Trees have a
positive impact on this problem. For example:
• Leaves and branch surfaces intercept and
store rainfall, thereby reducing runoff volumes
and delaying the onset of peak flows.
• Roots increase the rate at which soil absorbs
rainfall and the capacity of soil to store water,
thereby reducing runoff.
• Tree canopies reduce soil erosion by
diminishing the impact of raindrops on
barren surfaces.
• Transpiration through tree leaves reduce
soil moisture, increasing the soil’s capacity
to store rainfall.
More detailed information about the benefits
and costs of trees in Wisconsin can be found
in The Midwest Community Tree Guide:
Benefits, Costs, and Strategic Planting.
See the Recommended Resources section
on page 163 for information on how to get this
publication (online).
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
105
APPENDIX
Some economic benefits of urban forests are
the result of the presence of trees and the impact
they have on consumer spending. Recent
research suggests that consumers perceive
shopping areas with a green streetscape to
have a more positive image, atmosphere, and
comfort level. In addition to those perceptions,
people are willing to pay 9.2 percent more for
products in a shopping area with trees.
• They intercept particulate matter (e.g., dust,
ash, pollen, smoke).
- Moist leaf surfaces bind or dissolve
water-soluble pollutants.
- Waxy, resinous, hairy, or scaly leaf
surfaces capture and store larger
particulates. Rough bark surfaces also
capture and store particulates.
• They capture carbon dioxide and release
oxygen through photosynthesis.
• They transpire water and shade surfaces,
which lowers air temperatures, thereby
reducing ozone levels.
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
Homeowners who plant trees not only help with
the costs of heating and cooling their homes,
but increase the value of their property.
Research suggests that property values
can increase three to seven percent when
trees are present.
INTRODUCTION
PROCEDURE
INTRODUCTION
K-4
5-8
9-12
APPENDIX
Ask students if they know what an urban forest
and an ecosystem are. If they do not, discuss
the definitions with them. (Urban Forest: All the
trees and other vegetation in and around a town,
village, or city. Plants, people, and animals are
part of the urban forest. Ecosystem: An area
that contains organisms [e.g., plants, animals,
bacteria] interacting with one another and
their nonliving environment [e.g., climate, soil,
topography].) Brainstorm a list of the things
that make up the ecosystem in an urban area.
(People, animals, trees, grass, shrubs, sun,
water, buildings, streets.) Discuss how they are
connected and interact together. (People build
buildings and streets, feed animals, plant trees,
trees provide food for animals, animals spread
seeds from shrubs, buildings and streets cover
up soil, sun is needed by plants, etc.)
NOTE: If students need a more in-depth activity
to grasp these ideas, consider using LEAF
Urban Forest Supplement 5-8 Lesson 1, Urban
Forest Connections instead of the Introduction
listed here.
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
ACTIVITY 1 – COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS
1. Tell students that trees and urban forests
benefit humans in different ways. Explain
that the benefits can be put into categories:
economic, social, and ecologic. Describe
each. It is often difficult to list a benefit in
only one category. (For instance, a tree can
provide shade for a picnic and food for
wildlife and therefore provide both social and
ecologic benefits.) Have the class brainstorm
ways they think they benefit from having
trees/urban forests. (Answers will vary.) After
you have heard a few suggestions, discuss
other ways trees and urban forests benefit
us that they may not have thought of. Use
Teacher Page A1, Benefits as the starting
point for discussion of what trees and urban
forests do and how they do it. Write the
headings and key words (in all caps) on the
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9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
board as you lead the discussion. Note that
these benefits are economic benefits, but
may have positive ecologic and social
benefits as well. Be sure the discussion
includes why the benefits are important to
your students or the community.
2. Next have the class brainstorm the costs
they think might be involved in having trees
around. (Answers will vary.) Use Teacher
Pages A2A-B, Costs as a starting point for
discussion of what it costs to have trees in
our urban environments. Write the headings
and key words (in all caps) on the board
as you lead the discussion. These costs
and explanations are used in the data that
students will use later in this activity.
3. Ask students to speculate which they think
will be greater, costs or benefits. (Answers
will vary.) Ask if they think there will be a
difference between public tree and private
tree total costs/benefits. (Again, answers will
vary.) Ask students to speculate which side of
a house (north, south, east, or west) a tree
should be planted to get the most benefits.
(Answers will vary.)
4. Hand out Student Page !1, Small Tree
Benefits, Student Page !2, Small Tree
Costs, Student Page !3, Large Tree
Benefits, and Student Page !4, Large Tree
Costs to each student. Explain that the
information on these charts came from a
study about the benefits and costs of trees
in the Midwest. Explain that the data from
this study are valid for a specific region that
has a particular climate. Explain how the
tables are set up. The data on the student
pages use two sizes of tree, large and small.
The tables include a description of size in
height of tree and width (spread) of the
canopy, and an example of a species that
fits the description.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
6. Discuss the answers to the questions on the
Student Page !5, Cost/Benefit Comparison
using Teacher Page Ak3, Cost/Benefit
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
INTRODUCTION
K-4
5-8
NOTE: The Midwest Community Tree Guide:
Benefits, Costs, and Strategic Planting is the
source for information for this activity. To make a
more challenging activity, have students use the
information it contains to further explore this
subject. See the Recommended Resources
section on page 163 for more information about
accessing the material online.
9-12
OPTION: Assign students to write an essay
explaining the cost/benefit relationship over
40 years of small trees versus large trees.
ACTIVITY 2 – SOCIETAL BENEFITS
1. Remind students that they just learned about
economic benefits of trees in urban forests.
Tell students that the next activity will focus
on social benefits of urban forests. Divide
the class into six groups. Each group should
have three to four students.
2. Assign each group one of the articles from
Student Pages !6A-F, Human-Environment
Studies. (NOTE: These articles focus on the
impacts trees have on people and social
problems. You may wish to eliminate some
articles if your students would be offended
by them or sensitive to them.) Each student
should have their own copy to read. Ask the
groups to read the article they have been
given. They will need to identify the important
points of the article. List the points you want
them to identify on the board.
•
•
•
•
Who is the study about?
What was the study hoping to find?
Where was the study conducted?
What did they find out?
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
107
APPENDIX
5. Hand out Student Page !5, Cost/Benefit
Comparison to each student. Explain that they
will fill out the worksheet using information on
the charts. Explain that some numbers on the
tables on their worksheet are already filled in
to save time. Describe what net benefits are,
if needed. (Net benefits are total benefits minus
total costs.) Go over the steps that students
will need to take to get the answers. For
instance, to get $6 for the net benefits for
a small tree on the west side of a house
at year 10, take the total benefit from the
bottom row of the table on Student Page !1,
Small Tree Benefits ($8.56) and subtract the
cost on the bottom row of Student Page
!2, Small Tree Costs ($2.54). Remind
students that answers are rounded to the
nearest dollar. Give students time to fill in
the worksheet.
Comparison Key. Discuss how the answers
the data provided changed or supported their
thoughts on the things they speculated on
in step 3. Ask students if they think the data
support spending money to plant trees. (Yes.)
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
Each tree size has a table listing costs and a
table listing benefits. The costs and benefits
listed on the tables are the ones discussed in
steps one and two above. The benefits tables
on Student Page !2, Small Tree Costs and
Student Page !4, Large Tree Costs separate
trees by their location in the yard (west,
south, east). The tables also include public
trees. Benefits vary by location. The costs
tables on Student Page !1, Small Tree
Benefits and Student Page !3, Large Tree
Benefits do not separate trees by location
and only list “yard.” The cost of maintaining
a tree is the same, regardless of the tree’s
location in the yard. The values listed in
each column are the average cost or benefit
per year for the year listed at the top of the
column. For instance, the average cooling
benefits for a small tree on the west side of
a house in year 35 is $12.27 per year.
INTRODUCTION
3. After the groups have written down the
information you have asked them to find, they
should discuss the findings within their group.
Write things on the board for them to discuss.
K-4
• Do they agree with the findings?
• Can they relate in any way to the findings?
5-8
9-12
4. Ask each group to summarize what they read
for the class. As a class, discuss each article
as it is presented. The discussion should
include the opinions of students as to why or
why not the ideas presented in the articles
might be important. Allow students to share
experiences and thoughts.
APPENDIX
NOTE: The readings for this activity are
from research done by the Landscape and
Human Health Laboratory at the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Complete
descriptions of the research are available.
See the Recommended Resources section
for information.
CONCLUSION – BEYOND THE
URBAN FOREST
CONCEPTUAL GUIDE
Conclude the lesson with a class discussion
about the benefits urban forests provide and
how they might relate to rural forests. (Define
rural forests as needed.) Ask students which
urban forest benefits might also be provided by
rural forests, and which urban forest benefits are
not provided by rural forests. List them on the
board. Ask students to discuss why they think
this might be the case. (Rural forests help slow
rain fall and help prevent erosion, but since
there are no storm sewers to maintain, they do
not provide the same benefit. The reason we
need the stormwater treated in urban areas is
the concrete and lack of vegetation. There aren’t
many, if any, buildings with air conditioners, so
energy savings would not be a factor in rural
forests. Rural forests allow people to get benefits
to their mental and physical health when people
use them for recreation.)
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LEAF LINKS
The lessons listed below, for the
LEAF Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education
Lesson Guide, contain possible
enhancements, extensions, or
replacements for Urban Forest Lesson
Guide: 9-12 Lesson 1.
UNIT 9-12 LESSON 4: THE FOREST
MARKETPLACE
Students identify factors that influence the
supply of and demand for forest resources
using basic economic principles. Using
veneer as an example, students use graphs
to describe markets in different geographic
regions and examine the relationship
between Wisconsin’s forest resources and
those of the rest of the world.
Use 9-12 Lesson 4 following 9-12 Lesson 1
of the Urban Forest Lesson Guide. It is a more
in-depth study of forest-related economics.
It also goes through a process of broadening
the focus from Wisconsin to the world.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
A1
BENEFITS
TREES SAVE ENERGY
• SHADE around buildings from trees helps
lower temperatures in buildings. This reduces
the amount of energy used to cool homes
and businesses.
• Trees in WINDBREAKS can slow wind and
prevent heat loss from wind, reducing the
energy needed to heat buildings.
• Shade and evapotranspiration help reduce the
overall temperature in an urban area during
warm weather. Shade reduces the amount of
heat absorbed and retained by buildings,
roads, parking lots, etc. This helps REDUCE
the HEAT ISLAND EFFECT and keep air
temperatures cooler, which reduces the energy
needed for cooling. Evapotranspiration converts
liquid water to a gas. This process absorbs
energy, therefore it cools surfaces. This is
similar to what happens when humans sweat.
TREES REDUCE ATMOSPHERIC
CARBON DIOXIDE
• Trees SEQUESTER CARBON in their trunks
and branches. This keeps the carbon dioxide
out of the atmosphere where it can contribute
to global warming.
• Trees near buildings reduce demand for energy
for heating and cooling, thereby REDUCING
the CARBON DIOXIDE created with the
creation of energy.
TREES PROVIDE AESTHETIC AND
OTHER BENEFITS
• People PREFER TO SHOP in areas that have
trees and other plants.
• PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE when there
are mature trees on the property.
• Trees can ABSORB NOISE.
• Trees PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER for
animals that live in urban areas.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
TREES IMPROVE AIR QUALITY
• Trees ABSORB AIR POLLUTION. They absorb
gaseous pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen
oxides, and sulfur dioxide through their leaves.
Tree leaves and rough branches and trunks
intercept particulate matter such as dust, ash,
pollen, and smoke. Air pollution is a serious
health threat for humans. It can cause coughing,
headaches, respiratory and heart diseases,
and cancer.
• Trees RELEASE OXYGEN during
photosynthesis.
• Trees transpire water (during photosynthesis)
and shade surfaces, which COOLS THE AIR
and thereby reduces ozone levels. Ozone can
cause many human health problems.
TREES REDUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF
AND IMPROVE WATER FLOW
• Trees help PREVENT POLLUTION in
stormwater runoff from entering streams,
lakes, and groundwater supplies. The leaf
and bark surfaces of trees collect some water
as it falls, preventing it from hitting the ground.
They also slow water down so it has a chance
to soak into the soil and not run off.
• Tree roots IMPROVE the ability of SOIL to
absorb water. As the ability of the soil to absorb
water improves, runoff and therefore pollution
in lakes and streams is reduced.
• Tree canopies SLOW RAIN down as it falls so
soil erodes less.
• Trees pull moisture out of the soil and release
it through transpiration (during photosynthesis)
which INCREASES THE SOIL’S ABILITY TO
HOLD MORE WATER. With the increased
water holding capacity, runoff is reduced.
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
109
A2A
COSTS
Public trees and private trees have different costs associated with them.
The fundamental differences are listed below.
PUBLIC TREES
• Grow on public property.
• Are the responsibility of a public agency
to maintain.
• Include street trees, park trees, and trees
around publicly owned buildings.
• Costs involve employee time. This both
increases and decreases cost of specific
tasks, depending on the circumstances.
• Costs may include hiring professional tree
care companies.
PRIVATE TREES
• Grow on private property and are the
responsibility of a private landowner to
maintain.
• Include trees in yards and trees around
businesses.
• Costs vary depending on the ability of an
owner to do the work themselves. Some
things can be done by the property owner,
which reduces costs, but costs are increased
when special equipment is needed and a
professional is hired.
PRUNING
• PUBLIC trees are inspected and pruned by
EMPLOYEES who are being paid.
• Pruning of older trees on private property
requires HIRING A PROFESSIONAL to do
the work. Younger trees are less likely to be
pruned by a professional.
TREE AND STUMP REMOVAL
• HIRE A PROFESSIONAL to remove a tree
and stump. Large trees on private property
usually require a professional with
specialized skills and equipment to safely
remove the tree. Stumps are ground out with
expensive equipment by hired professionals.
Public trees are sometimes removed by a
hired professional, but often removed by
paid public employees.
PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL
• Public and private trees are sometimes
treated for insects and diseases.
PLANTING
• PURCHASE the tree, mulch, and materials to
stake the tree. Both private and public trees
are impacted.
• HIRE someone to do the work. Public trees
are usually planted by someone who is paid,
although they may be planted by volunteers.
Private trees are usually planted by the
landowner, although they may be planted
by someone the landowner hires.
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Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
A2B
COSTS
IRRIGATION
• Newly planted trees need to be watered.
For public trees, this results in COSTS OF
THE WATER and potentially EMPLOYEE
TIME. For private trees, the costs are usually
for water only.
INFRASTRUCTURE CONFLICTS
• Tree roots can damage SIDEWALKS and
SEWER systems, which cost money to
REPAIR. Most damage occurs from public
street trees because of their location between
the sidewalk and street. This does not impact
private trees often because they are usually
farther away from public sidewalks and sewers.
LIABILITY
• Legal costs and payments are incurred due
to TRIP-AND-FALL CLAIMS. This refers to
people who trip and fall over tree roots on
public property and take legal action to get
compensation for injuries.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
LITTER AND STORM CLEANUP
• Trees create litter that creates cost for
cleanup for things such as street cleaning
and storm cleanup. This has impact
on both public and private trees. Private
property owners often clean up litter
themselves while public tree litter is cleaned
up by paid employees. Storm cleanup is
more of a cost for public trees because
the responsibility for clearing roads falls to
public agencies.
ADMINISTRATION
• For public trees, there are costs associated
with paying SALARIES for supervisors,
clerical staff, and other office-related
expenses. These do not apply to private trees.
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
111
Ak3
COST/BENEFIT COMPARISON KEY
1. Fill in the following tables. Round answers to the nearest dollar.
ANNUAL NET BENEFITS PER SMALL TREE (22 ft. tall, 21 ft. spread)
NET
BENEFITS
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
40-YEAR
AVERAGE
South Yard
-$80
$4
$7
$7
$14
$21
$21
$22
$3
East Yard
-$79
$5
$13
$16
$25
$33
$36
$39
$12
Public
-$51
-$6
$2
$0
$10
$19
$24
$28
$4
West Yard
-$79
$6
$15
$20
$29
$37
$42
$45
ANNUAL NET BENEFITS PER LARGE TREE (47 ft. tall, 37 ft. spread)
$15
NET
BENEFITS
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
40-YEAR
AVERAGE
South Yard
-$64
$29
$48
$63
$79
$92
$102
$111
$58
East Yard
-$59
$43
$64
$79
$93
$104
$111
$118
$70
Public
-$30
$24
$46
$60
$74
$86
$95
$103
$58
West Yard
-$56
$50
$72
$87
$100
$110
$116
$123
$76
2. Which side of the house should a tree be planted on to get the most benefits from it on
average? Why do you think this is? West. Cooling costs are lower when a house is shaded.
As the sun goes down in the evening, a tree on the west side will shade more during this
warm time of the day.
3. Overall, is the net benefit for planting and maintaining a small tree more or less than a
large tree? Why? The net benefit is more with a large tree. The costs associated with a large
tree are about the same as a small tree, but the benefits it provides are greater because of its size.
4. The costs included in the data do not include the costs to utilities to prune trees that are
growing into power lines. Would including that cost change the answer from question #3
above? Why or why not? Yes. The costs for repeatedly pruning a large tree to keep it out of the
power lines would increase the overall cost with no additional benefits.
5. Why do public trees still have a negative net benefit at year 10 for small trees but not for
large trees? Since large trees have a higher benefit compared to their cost, the net benefit
increases faster with large trees than small.
112
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
!1
SMALL TREE BENEFITS
ANNUAL BENEFITS PER SMALL TREE (22 ft. tall, 21 ft. spread) e.g., crabapple
BENEFITS
COOLING
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
HEATING
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
NET CO2
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
AIR
POLLUTION
Avoided and
net uptake
(includes ozone,
nitrogen oxide,
sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter,
volatile organic
compounds,
biogenic volatile
organic
compounds)
WATER
FLOW
Rainfall
interception
AESTHETICS
AND OTHER
Yard
Public
TOTAL
BENEFITS*
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
40-YEAR
AVERAGE*
$0.48
$0.33
$0.37
$0.33
$1.56
$0.94
$1.15
$0.94
$4.23
$2.10
$2.87
$1.96
$6.64
$3.21
$4.45
$2.92
$8.64
$4.68
$6.06
$4.21
$10.34
$5.93
$7.43
$5.32
$12.27
$7.16
$8.88
$6.24
$13.83
$8.15
$10.04
$6.97
$7.25
$4.06
$5.16
$3.61
$1.45
$1.13
$1.38
$1.55
$4.24
$2.80
$3.99
$4.64
$8.40
$3.39
$7.80
$9.58
$12.18
$4.07
$11.27
$14.04
$16.17
$6.67
$15.08
$18.45
$19.55
$8.90
$18.30
$22.18
$20.87
$7.58
$19.47
$24.20
$21.71
$6.18
$20.18
$25.62
$13.07
$5.09
$12.18
$15.03
$0.25
$0.20
$0.23
$0.24
$0.75
$0.52
$0.66
$0.68
$1.67
$0.88
$1.40
$1.42
$2.53
$1.26
$2.10
$2.11
$3.42
$1.94
$2.92
$2.93
$4.21
$2.56
$3.64
$3.65
$4.95
$2.94
$4.29
$4.29
$5.59
$3.29
$4.85
$4.85
$2.92
$1.70
$2.51
$2.52
$0.18
$0.54
$1.35
$2.26
$3.48
$4.33
$5.26
$6.09
$2.94
$0.04
$0.14
$0.38
$0.66
$1.15
$1.64
$2.78
$3.95
$1.34
$0.09
$0.11
$1.33
$1.58
$2.57
$3.03
$4.07
$4.80
$5.83
$6.89
$7.86
$9.29
$7.40
$8.75
$6.86
$8.10
$4.50
$5.32
$2.49
$1.97
$2.29
$2.44
$8.56
$6.27
$7.82
$8.52
$18.60
$10.67
$16.37
$17.72
$28.34
$15.52
$24.81
$26.80
$38.71
$23.76
$34.52
$37.12
$47.94
$31.24
$43.22
$46.42
$53.54
$33.13
$48.08
$51.53
$58.03
$34.52
$51.97
$55.59
$32.03
$19.63
$28.63
$30.77
* Numbers on this table are calculated from raw data. They may not add up due to differences in rounding.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
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Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
113
!2
SMALL TREE COSTS
ANNUAL COSTS PER SMALL TREE (22 ft. tall, 21 ft. spread) e.g., crabapple
COSTS
TREE AND
PLANTING
Yard
Public
PRUNING
Yard
Public
REMOVE AND
DISPOSE
Yard
Public
PEST AND
DISEASE
Yard
Public
INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR
Yard
Public
IRRIGATION
Yard
Public
CLEANUP
Yard
Public
LIABILITY
AND LEGAL
Yard
Public
ADMINISTRATION
AND OTHER
Yard
Public
TOTAL COSTS*
Yard
Public
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$10.00
$5.00
$0.17
$11.88
$0.32
$11.25
$0.30
$10.63
$3.84
$20.00
$3.60
$18.75
$3.36
$17.50
$3.12
$16.25
$2.88
$15.00
$2.08
$15.04
$0.84
$0.63
$1.74
$1.30
$2.70
$2.02
$3.72
$2.79
$4.80
$3.60
$5.94
$4.45
$7.14
$5.35
$8.40
$6.30
$4.01
$3.03
$0.19
$0.01
$0.38
$0.03
$0.55
$0.04
$0.72
$0.05
$0.87
$0.07
$1.00
$0.08
$1.12
$0.09
$1.22
$0.09
$0.70
$0.05
$0.05
$0.24
$0.09
$0.47
$0.14
$0.69
$0.18
$0.90
$0.22
$1.09
$0.25
$1.26
$0.28
$1.40
$0.30
$1.52
$0.17
$0.87
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.05
$0.05
$0.00
$0.01
$0.00
$0.02
$0.00
$0.02
$0.01
$0.03
$0.01
$0.04
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.03
$0.00
$0.02
$0.01
$0.03
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.06
$0.01
$0.06
$0.01
$0.06
$0.01
$0.06
$0.01
$0.05
$0.00
$0.76
$0.00
$1.49
$0.00
$2.18
$0.00
$2.83
$0.00
$3.42
$0.00
$3.96
$0.00
$4.42
$0.00
$4.79
$0.00
$2.75
$81.64
$53.93
$2.54
$14.60
$3.71
$15.64
$8.47
$26.66
$9.50
$27.02
$10.57
$27.35
$11.68
$27.62
$12.82
$27.83
$17.02
$26.87
$80.00
$40.00
PR
$0.38
$0.38
YEAR 40-YEAR
40
AVERAGE*
* Numbers on this table are calculated from raw data. They may not add up due to differences in rounding.
114
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LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
!3
LARGE TREE BENEFITS
ANNUAL BENEFITS PER LARGE TREE (47 ft. tall, 37 ft. spread) e.g., hackberry
BENEFITS
COOLING
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
HEATING
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
NET CO2
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
AIR
POLLUTION
Avoided and
net uptake
(includes ozone,
nitrogen oxide,
sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter,
volatile organic
compounds,
biogenic volatile
organic
compounds)
WATER
FLOW
Rainfall
interception
AESTHETICS
AND OTHER
Yard
Public
TOTAL
BENEFITS*
West Yard
South Yard
East Yard
Public
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
40-YEAR
AVERAGE*
$5.61
$2.25
$3.60
$1.99
$14.30
$6.35
$9.38
$4.85
$19.29
$10.63
$13.71
$7.85
$22.82
$14.49
$17.02
$10.37
$24.51
$17.66
$18.98
$12.22
$25.26
$19.98
$20.24
$13.95
$25.36
$21.49
$20.90
$15.22
$25.26
$22.15
$21.22
$16.06
$20.30
$14.38
$15.63
$10.31
$9.19
$4.88
$8.53
$10.20
$19.47
$8.67
$18.21
$21.91
$27.22
$14.35
$26.09
$30.34
$33.32
$19.91
$32.44
$36.81
$37.20
$25.04
$36.67
$40.66
$39.48
$28.96
$39.22
$42.69
$40.54
$31.62
$40.49
$43.45
$40.23
$32.70
$40.25
$42.85
$30.83
$20.77
$30.24
$33.61
$1.81
$0.89
$1.43
$1.33
$4.26
$2.03
$3.37
$2.98
$5.98
$3.45
$5.00
$4.45
$7.34
$4.82
$6.34
$5.68
$8.22
$6.04
$7.30
$6.59
$8.78
$7.00
$7.96
$7.28
$9.10
$7.68
$8.39
$7.75
$9.19
$8.02
$8.55
$7.96
$6.84
$4.99
$6.04
$5.50
$1.42
$3.59
$5.51
$7.30
$8.81
$10.24
$11.52
$12.80
$7.65
$0.61
$1.72
$3.71
$6.41
$9.87
$14.13
$18.34
$24.78
$9.95
$9.07
$10.71
$15.72
$18.57
$20.93
$24.73
$24.85
$29.36
$27.59
$32.60
$29.29
$34.60
$30.06
$35.51
$30.02
$35.47
$23.44
$27.69
$27.41
$19.12
$24.66
$26.26
$59.06
$38.07
$51.98
$53.62
$82.65 $102.04 $116.21 $127.17
$58.59 $77.77 $95.01 $109.59
$74.96 $94.36 $109.22 $121.08
$76.60 $95.93 $110.76 $122.89
$134.91
$120.72
$129.69
$131.79
$142.28
$130.46
$137.63
$139.93
$99.01
$81.17
$92.95
$94.72
* Numbers on this table are calculated from raw data. They may not add up due to differences in rounding.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
115
!4
LARGE TREE COSTS
ANNUAL COSTS PER LARGE TREE (47 ft. tall, 37 ft. spread) e.g., hackberry
COSTS
TREE AND
PLANTING
Yard
Public
PRUNING
Yard
Public
REMOVE AND
DISPOSE
Yard
Public
PEST AND
DISEASE
Yard
Public
INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR
Yard
Public
IRRIGATION
Yard
Public
CLEANUP
Yard
Public
LIABILITY
AND LEGAL
Yard
Public
ADMINISTRATION
AND OTHER
Yard
Public
TOTAL COSTS*
Yard
Public
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR 40-YEAR
40
AVERAGE*
$80.00
$40.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$10.00
$5.00
$0.34
$11.88
$4.32
$22.50
$4.08
$21.25
PR
$6.86
$24.00
$0.00
$0.00
$6.43
$22.50
$6.00
$21.00
$5.57
$19.50
$5.14
$18.00
$4.96
$20.61
$2.02
$1.51
$3.60
$2.70
$5.14
$3.85
$6.62
$4.97
$8.05
$6.04
$9.44
$7.08
$10.77
$8.08
$12.05
$9.04
$6.59
$4.96
$0.46
$0.04
$0.78
$0.06
$1.06
$0.08
$1.28
$0.10
$1.46
$0.11
$1.60
$0.12
$1.75
$0.13
$1.18
$0.09
$0.12
$0.58
$0.20
$0.98
$0.26
$1.32
$0.32
$1.60
$0.37
$1.83
TRE
E
$0.40
$2.00
$1.69
$0.13
$0.42
$2.12
$0.44
$2.19
$0.30
$1.48
$0.38
$0.38
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.05
$0.05
$0.00
$0.02
$0.01
$0.04
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.06
$0.01
$0.07
$0.01
$0.07
$0.02
$0.08
$0.02
$0.08
$0.01
$0.05
$0.01
$0.06
$0.02
$0.08
$0.02
$0.10
$0.02
$0.11
$0.02
$0.12
$0.02
$0.12
$0.03
$0.13
$0.02
$0.12
$0.02
$0.10
$0.00
$1.83
$0.00
$3.09
$0.00
$4.16
$0.00
$5.04
$0.00
$5.75
$0.00
$6.29
$0.00
$6.66
$0.00
$6.88
$0.00
$4.65
$83.33
$56.29
$8.93
$29.45
$10.57
$30.81
$15.11
$35.88
$16.34
$35.87
$17.47
$36.68
$18.49
$36.68
$19.42
$36.44
$23.10
$36.99
* Numbers on this table are calculated from raw data. They may not add up due to differences in rounding.
116
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
!5
COST/BENEFIT COMPARISON
1. Fill in the following tables. Round answers to the nearest dollar.
ANNUAL NET BENEFITS PER SMALL TREE (22 ft. tall, 21 ft. spread)
NET
BENEFITS
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
South Yard
$4
$7
East Yard
$5
Public
-$6
West Yard
$6
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
$7
$21
$21
$22
$13
$16
$33
$36
$39
$2
$0
$19
$24
$28
$15
$20
$37
$42
$45
ANNUAL NET BENEFITS PER LARGE TREE (47 ft. tall, 37 ft. spread)
NET
BENEFITS
YEAR
5
YEAR
10
YEAR
15
YEAR
20
South Yard
$29
$48
East Yard
$43
Public
$24
West Yard
$50
YEAR
25
YEAR
30
YEAR
35
YEAR
40
$63
$92
$102
$111
$64
$79
$104
$111
$118
$46
$60
$86
$95
$103
$72
$87
$110
$116
$123
40-YEAR
AVERAGE
40-YEAR
AVERAGE
2. Which side of the house should a tree be planted on to get the most benefits from it on
average? Why do you think this is? West. Cooling costs are lower when a house is shaded.
As the sun goes down in the evening, a tree on the west side will shade more during this
warm time of the day.
3. Overall, is the net benefit for planting and maintaining a small tree more or less than a
large tree? Why? The net benefit is more with a large tree. The costs associated with a large
tree are about the same as a small tree, but the benefits it provides are greater because of its size.
4. The costs included in the data do not include the costs to utilities to prune trees that are
growing into power lines. Would including that cost change the answer from question #3
above? Why or why not? Yes. The costs for repeatedly pruning a large tree to keep it out of the
power lines would increase the overall cost with no additional benefits.
5. Why do public trees still have a negative net benefit at year 10 for small trees but not for
large trees? Since large trees have a higher benefit compared to their cost, the net benefit
increases faster with large trees than small.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
117
!6A
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
GO OUT AND PLAY
NATURE ADDS UP FOR ADD KIDS
A study by University of Illinois researchers Andrea Faber Taylor, Frances E. Kuo and
William C. Sullivan has revealed that the symptoms of children with Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD) are relieved after contact with nature. The greener the setting, the more
the relief.
By comparison, activities indoors, such as watching TV, or outdoors in paved, non-green
areas leave ADD children functioning worse.
More than two million children in the United States suffer from ADD. They have chronic
difficulty paying attention and focusing on tasks. ADD causes children to be impulsive,
prone to outbursts and sometimes to be aggressive. Often their behavior results in
family conflict, peer rejection and academic failure.
Maintaining trees and greenery near home and encouraging ADD kids to go out and
play may be a compelling approach to help ADD kids function better.
This information is from Coping with ADD: The Surprising Connection to Green Play Settings.
Environment and Behavior. Vol. 33 No. 1. January 2001. 54-77.
© 2001 Sage Publications, Inc.
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
118
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
!6B
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
GREEN STREETS, NOT MEAN STREETS
VEGETATION MAY CUT CRIME IN THE INNER CITY
A study of a Chicago public housing development by University of Illinois researchers
Frances E. Kuo and William C. Sullivan has found that apartment buildings surrounded
by trees and greenery are dramatically safer than buildings devoid of green. The greener
the surroundings, the fewer crimes occur against people and property.
Compared with apartment buildings that had little or no vegetation, buildings with high
levels of greenery had 52 percent fewer total crimes, including 48 percent fewer property
crimes and 56 percent fewer violent crimes. Even modest amounts of greenery were
associated with lower crime rates. Several factors combine to explain why this is so.
Greenery helps people to relax and renew, reducing aggression. Green spaces bring
people together outdoors. Their presence increases surveillance and discourages
criminals. The green and groomed appearance of an apartment building is a cue that
owners and residents care about a property, and watch over it and each other.
This information is from Environment and Crime in the Inner City: Does Vegetation Reduce Crime?
Environment and Behavior. Vol. 33 No. 3, May 2001. 343-367.
© 2001 Sage Publications, Inc.
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
119
!6C
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
GIRLS AND GREENERY
VIEWS OF GREEN HELP GIRLS SUCCEED
A study by University of Illinois researchers Andrea Faber Taylor, Frances E. Kuo and
William C. Sullivan has found that the greener and more natural a girl’s view from home,
the better she scores on tests of self-discipline. The greater a girl’s self-discipline, the
more likely she is to do well in school, to avoid unhealthy or risky behaviors and to
behave in ways that foster life success.
The study tested parent-child pairs who live in inner city public housing. Children were
tested on the components of self-discipline: the abilities to concentrate, to inhibit
impulsive behavior and to delay gratification. Parents assessed the amounts of nature
and of paved and human-built surfaces visible through their windows.
Boys showed no link between test scores and nature near home, but for girls, on
average, the greener the view the higher the scores. Maintaining trees and greenery
at home may help support in girls the self-discipline they need to succeed.
This information is from Views of Nature and Self-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children, part
of the Growing Hope archive, a multi-study research project examining the effects of the physical
environment on mothers and children living in urban public housing.
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
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!6D
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
COOLER IN THE SHADE
AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE ARE REDUCED WITH NATURE NEARBY
A study by University of Illinois scientists Frances E. Kuo and William C. Sullivan finds
that inner-city families with trees and greenery in their immediate outdoor surroundings
have safer domestic environments than families who live in buildings that are barren
of nature.
The study examined the relationship between the outdoor environment and family
violence in a public housing project. Levels of aggression and violence were significantly
lower among residents who had some nearby nature outside their apartments than
among residents who lived in barren conditions. Mental fatigue was a key factor. The
more fatigued a resident was, the more aggression and violence she reported. Residents
living in greener apartments were systematically less fatigued than neighbors living in
barren surroundings.
Exposure to trees and greenery reduces mental fatigue and feelings of irritability that
come with it. The ability to concentrate is refreshed, along with the ability and willingness
to deal with problems thoughtfully and less aggressively. It seems that trees and greenery
cool more than outdoor temperatures; they help cool tempers as well.
SHOUT Module #6: Violence Blurb 1A Copy Version #1 August 14, 2002
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
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!6E
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
NICE TO SEE YOU
HOW TREES BUILD A NEIGHBORHOOD
A scientific study by researchers Frances E. Kuo, William C. Sullivan, Rebekah Levine
Coley and Liesette Brunson has found that, in the inner city, residential spaces with trees
and greenery help to build strong neighborhoods. Residents of buildings with more
vegetation know their neighbors better, socialize with them more often, have stronger
feelings of community, and feel safer and better adjusted than do residents of buildings
with little or no vegetation.
When the spaces next to residences are green, they are enjoyed and used heavily. Such
settings support frequent, friendly interaction among neighbors and nurture neighborhood
social ties. These ties are the heart of a neighborhood’s strength.
When neighborhood social ties are strong, residents help and protect each other.
Because the support of neighbors is vital to poor inner city families, it is especially
important that their neighborhoods be green.
SHOUT Module #4: Neighbors Blurb Copy Version #2 February 5, 2002
© 2002. University of Illinois. All rights reserved.
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
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!6F
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
GREEN RELIEF
TREES EASE POVERTY IN INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS
A study by University of Illinois scientist Dr. Frances E. Kuo has found that the physical
features of the inner city landscape may affect the functioning of its inhabitants. When
trees and greenery are immediately outside their apartments, inner city residents cope
better with the demands of living in poverty, feel more hopeful about the future, and
manage their most important problems more effectively.
Compared with residents whose apartment buildings were barren of greenery, residents
with green surroundings scored higher on a test of concentration, reported greater
effectiveness and less procrastination in addressing their life issues, and found their
issues to be less difficult and longstanding.
Exposure to green surroundings refreshes the ability to concentrate, leading to greater
effectiveness. Even small amounts of greenery – a few trees and a patch of grass – help
inner city residents to feel and do better.
SHOUT Module #5: Poverty Blurb Copy Version #1 May 17, 2002
For more information on this study, go to www.lhhl.uiuc.edu or contact the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Human Environmental Resources Laboratory, 1103 South Dorner Drive,
Urbana, Illinois 61801. Research funding provided by the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the University of Illinois.
Used with permission.
LEAF Urban Forest Lesson Guide
9TH-12TH GRADE UNIT
Lesson 1 - What’s It Worth?
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