Your Business and the Value of a Tree

The State of Michigan published a report "Urban Street Trees" back in 2006 that listed 22 benefits for the presence of trees in an urban landscape. Of interest to business owners was the finding that "Businesses on treescaped streets show 12% higher income streams, which is often the essential competitive edge needed for main street store success, versus competition from plaza discount store prices."

The presence of trees also affects real estate values. "Realtor based estimates of street tree versus non-street tree comparable streets relate a $15,000-25,000 increase in home or business value. This often adds to the base tax base and operations budgets of a city allowing for added street maintenance. Future economic analysis may determine that this is a break-even for city maintenance budgets." 

Adding trees to landscaping on the south side of commercial buildings serves to reduce summer cooling expense while providing aesthetic appeal. Shading of asphalt adds to the life of the material by reducing temperature fluctuations.

Trees help make a shopping district safer for pedestrians:

• Define and separate pedestrian areas from auto traffic
• Provide some protection from sun and rain
• Well placed, and cared for street trees are associated with greater respect and care for the area, less crime or stress
• Trees absorb Carbon Monoxide (CO2), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Ozone and particulate matter and release Oxygen

Cost vs. Benefits "For a planting cost of $250-600 (includes first 3 years of maintenance) a single street tree returns over $90,000 of direct benefits (not including aesthetic, social and natural) in the lifetime of the tree. Street trees (generally planted from 4 feet to 8 feet from curbs) provide many benefits to those streets they occupy."

In a 2003 Urban Forest Plan complete by the City of Shoreline it found that Douglas Fir (pictured) accounted for the largest proportion of the Urban Trees (16%) in the city. 

The City of Shoreline is reviewing a proposal to meet Tree City USA requirements standards that would apply to City owned trees. The requirements include the establishment of a Tree Board or Department, a Tree Care Ordinance, Community Forestry program and annual Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation. If done right, membership in Tree City USA would protect the Cities estimated value of tree provided services to the City of $3.7 Million. (Estimate provided by Urban Forester Kava Vale in a letter to the City of Shoreline dated November 7, 2011)

Because trees contribute to a healthy business environment it is in the interest of small business owners to lobby their respective cities to have robust tree code and maintenance program.