Are trees a part of your life? Do you have a favorite tree? Scientists have found that healthy trees are important to the health of people and the communities around them. Still other researchers have documented the economic value of trees to homeowners, neighborhoods, and cities. Trees form the basic building blocks of ecosystems. Extension Master Gardener Nancy Davis shares how you can protect the mature trees around you and convince neighbors, politicians and even developers to do so as well.
Speaker: Nancy Davis, Extension Master Gardener
Zoom session, June 21, 2024
Video of Presentation
Class Resources
How to Advocate for Healthy Trees, Healthy People pdf
Additional Resources
Tree Species
- Video “Keystone Species of Native Plants” (Section on Woody Plants begins at 0:07:08)
- Video “Best Bets: Native Plants for Dry Conditions” (Section on Trees begins at 0:10:15)
- Video “Best Bets: Native Plants for Wet Conditions” (Section on Trees begins at 0:10:13)
Siting & Planting
- Video “Native Trees: Selecting, Planting, and Transplanting” (Siting begins at 0:43:43)
- Tree Placement on Home Grounds, University of Missouri Extension
- Tree Preservation and Replacement Guide, City of Falls Church
Tree Care
- Tree Stewards of Arlington/Alexandria (Tree care and ivy removal)
- International Society of Arboriculture (Tree care and list of arborists)
- Urban Forestry Management, City of Alexandria
Sources of Trees
- Tree Canopy Fund, EcoAction Arlington (Applications in April for fall planting)
- Small Trees Make Big Canopies Program (MGNV, Source of free trees)
- Plant NOVA Trees (Five-year local tree campaign)
Ecosystem Services of Trees
- “Celebrating Native Trees,” MGNV website, April 6, 2022
- “Climate-Conscious Gardening: Planting Trees”, MGNV website, October 20, 2021
Health Benefits of Trees
- Kuo, Ming. “How might contact with nature promote human health?” Frontiers in Psychology, August 25, 2015.
- Li, Qing. “Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function.” Environmental Heath and Preventive Medicine, March 23, 2009.
- Robbins, Jim. “Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health.” Yale Environment 360, January 9, 2020.
- Ulrich, R.S. “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” Science, Issue 4647, pp. 420-421
- Wolf, Kathleen L. “Urban Trees and Human Heath.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, June 18, 2020.