photo by J. Philipson

If you are like me you love trees. I feel so fortunate to live in an area where trees are abundant. My home is Thousand Oaks California, and it is not a coincidence that there are many, many oak trees (as well as other varieties) in our city. Since I have been here I have planted one tree, and I plan on planting more.


When I was younger I remember looking for an apartment that I could afford. The ones with a view of something green were few and far between. Who wants to look out the window at another stucco building, a trash can-lined alley or a busy street? Most of us would like a little glimpse of something that reminds us that we are creative beings.

Still not convinced? Here are 5 great reasons to get out there and start planting:

1. 10 average sized trees provide enough oxygen for the average sized person for his entire lifetime. If you haven’t planted your 10 trees yet, you are taking up somebody’s else’s air. If you have never planted a tree before, but would like to take the plunge, go to Tree Help.





2. Trees look pretty. Most folks appreciate natural beauty. So if you have trees planted around your home that means the value of your property will go up. There is also a higher chance (25% more) that a house with several trees will sell before a house with no trees or a few trees.




3. You spend less on your utility bill. According to Sandra Block, USA Today contributor, “Three trees, planted strategically around your home, can save $100 to $250 a year in heating and cooling costs, the DOE says. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides of your home will help keep your house cool in the summer and let the warming sun shine through the windows in the winter. Evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house will help deflect cold winter winds.”




4. Trees calm us. The very best parts of us humans are reflected back to us when we observe tree. They have ability to create and grow. They also give to their surroundings (oxygen, shelter,nourishment) without conditions or judgment. When we reflect on these things in nature we naturally feel more peaceful.




5. Trees promote a sense of community. How many parks have you seen with no trees? What about campsites? Wherever there are trees people will follow, usually in groups. Trees remind us that we are all made from the same stuff. And just as we should respect our natural resources, we should respect each other.

There are many more reasons to plant trees, like the amazing wildlife that they attract. Don’t you love the sound of chirping birds? Your neighbors will more likely to come over for a bbq, so that they can enjoy the beautiful environment. Now all you have to do is introduce yourself.

For those of you who prefer your reasons in poem form here is a sweet one from Henry Cuyler Bunner (1855 – 1896):

The Heart of the Tree
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high.
He plants a home to heaven anigh
For song and mother-croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard –
The treble of heaven’s harmony –
These things he plants who plants a tree.


What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest’s heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
They joy that unborn eyes shall see –
These things he plants who plants a tree.


What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
In love of home and loyalty
And far-cast thought of civic good –
His blessing on the neighborhood
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land –
A nation’s growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

See you at your local Nursery! Till next time…

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Kim McGinnis, Be Like Nature