Cool Down Northwest Philly

Apply for a free street tree

Apply by April 15th (for November planting); November 24th (for April planting).

Benefits of Trees

5. Crime reduction: A study conducted in Philadelphia found that in areas with lower canopy cover, individuals are at a higher risk of being assaulted, especially younger individuals in low-income areas. (4)

6. Energy conservation/bill reduction: The U.S. Forest Service found that “[u]rban trees and forests alter building energy use and associated emissions from power plants by shading buildings, cooling air temperatures, and altering wind speeds around buildings.” (5)

7. Reduce stress: According to the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, “Spending time around trees and looking at trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. Numerous studies show that both exercising in forests and simply sitting looking at trees reduce blood pressure as well as the stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline.” (6)

Air purification: The National Park Service found that “[t]rees can improve air quality through a number of means, including by (1) reducing air temperature thus altering pollution concentrations, (2) reducing energy consumption in buildings, which consequently reduces air pollutant emissions from the power sources, and most notably, (3) directly removing pollutants from the air.” (1)
Improved health outcomes: According to a study on urban forestry’s effects on long-term health, “urban forest diversity and tree abundance are associated with lower mortality rates for Heart Disease and Stroke.” (2)
Cooling effects: Not only do trees provide shade, but they also use a process called evapotranspiration, in which they absorb water that is then evaporated from the leaves. This evaporation process requires heat from the surrounding air, cooling the air and overall temperature down.
Property value increase: According to a study on city trees, large trees along streets can increase property values by up to 15 percent. (3)