14 DAY TRIAL // A research carried out by US Forest Service and Davey Institute scientists has revealed that urban forests greatly benefit public health.
The specialists explain that, according to their investigations, such patches of greenery remove considerable amounts of fine particulate pollution from the air.
As explained on the official website for the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, fine particulate pollution is basically particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 microns that accumulates in the air.
Previous studies have linked exposure to this type of air pollution to premature mortality, lung problems, atherosclerosis and heart disease.
After studying how the presence of trees influences air quality and public health in several cities across the United States, researchers learned that, each year, urban forests save on average one life per city.
In the case of NYC, urban forests have been estimated to save approximately eight lives on a yearly basis.
Trees growing in Syracuse, New York reportedly remove some 4.7 metric tons of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns yearly. On the other hand, trees in Atlanta remove up to 64.5 metric tons of particular matter within the same time frame.
“This research clearly illustrates that America’s urban forests are critical capital investments helping produce clear air and water; reduce energy costs; and, making cities more livable. Simply put, our urban forests improve people’s lives,” specialist Michael T. Rains commented on the findings of this investigation.
Backing up his statements, researcher David Nowak made a case of how, “Trees can make cities healthier.” “While we need more research to generate better estimates, this study suggests that trees are an effective tool in reducing air pollution and creating healthier urban environments,” he said.
A previous study published towards the beginning of May showed that urban forests spread across the entire US territory store about 708 million tons of carbon.
By doing so, they perform environmental services worth roughly $50 billion (€38.2 billion).