Studies have identified a direct correlation between the amount of trees and grass in community common spaces and the use of those common spaces by residents. This leads to more opportunities for informal social interaction and greater relationships between neighbors.
Research suggests trees provide a place for neighbors to meet and get to know each other, and this leads to fewer incidences of crime.
When you think about a place that is important, consider nature and the trees that surround the area. Trees help build a sense of community character and place.
Fast Facts
- People prefer natural over hardscape settings, and preferences are predictors of the use of environments. A study found that urban residents dislike and fear treeless, empty common spaces. The addition of trees and grass dramatically changed their perceptions of those spaces.
- Trees also make streets more livable and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Older adults who have more exposure to green common spaces report a stronger sense of unity among residents within their local neighborhood, and experience a stronger sense of belonging to the neighborhood.
- Among minor crimes, there is less graffiti, vandalism, and littering in outdoor spaces with natural landscapes than in comparable plant-less spaces.
- Individuals and groups within communities with strong social cohesion and social capital experience many positive benefits.
Helpful Resources
Review studies, reports and more to learn more about the benefits of trees.
| Title | Description | Document Type |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning our Air Fact Sheet | Did you know that Georgia’s 22 million acres of working forests provide clean air for you to breathe every day? Download fact sheet to learn more. | |
| Conserving Habitat for Georgia’s Wildlife Fact Sheet | Georgia is one of the most biologically diverse states in the nation, and working forests play a big role ensuring healthy wildlife habitats. Download fact sheet to learn more. | |
| Green Cities: Active Living | Recent research indicates that quality outdoor environments affect activity attitudes and behaviors. Urban greening contributes to more walkable places. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Crime & Public Safety | This briefing summarizes the research findings on the relationship between urban vegetation and crimes, aggressive behavior, and safety. | |
| Green Cities: Good Health | Metro nature – including trees, parks, gardens, and natural areas – enhance quality of life in cities and towns. The experience of nature improves human health and well-being in many ways. review these scientific studies that tell us how. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Mental Health & Function | Both visual access and being within green space helps to restore the mind’s ability to focus. This can improve job and school performance, and help alleviate mental stress and illness. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Place Attachment & Meaning | Place attachment and meaning are particularly relevant when considering issues of urban development and community-building. Attachment and meaning emerge from a variety of experiences and situations, and are often related to parks, green spaces, and natural areas. Learn more with this brief summary. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Reduced Risk | Trees and vegetation can dampen ambient noise, improve air quality, cool over-heated urban centers, and be a food security solution. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Safe Streets | his article surveys the research on roadside vegetation benefits, and the scientific evidence concerning city trees, and transportation safety. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Social & Cultural Strengths | Urban green spaces can provide a neutral space within which people come together, social interactions occur (that include people from different backgrounds), and relationships or partnerships take form. Read this briefing for research studies. | External Website |
| Green Cities: Work & Learning | Places that incorporate or are located near nature can help remedy mental fatigue and restore one’s ability to focus on tasks. The result can be better performance in the work place and classroom. | External Website |
| Green Local Economies | Rad this article to learn about economic benefits of trees in cities. | External Website |
| Healthy Trees, Healthy Lives Research | Take care of the forest, and it will take care of you. As research is being conducted and becoming available, findings reinforce what much of the urban forestry community already knows — that trees have a positive impact on human health. Check out research on why Healthy Trees make Healthy Lives. | External Website |
| i-Tree Streets | Within the i-Tree software suite, street tree populations are assessed using i-Tree Streets, which is an analysis tool for urban forest managers that uses tree inventory data to quantify the dollar value of annual environmental and aesthetic benefits. | External Website |
| Nature’s Water Filter Fact Sheet | Did you know working forests are the most significant factor affecting water quality and quantity in Georgia? Download fact sheet to learn more. | |
| Tree Benefits Calculator | The Tree Benefit Calculator allows anyone to make a simple estimation of the benefits individual street-side trees provide. | External Website |
| Vibrant Cities Lab | Case Studies, Research Guides and Tools to help cultivate thriving urban forests that boost public health, safety, sustainability and economic growth. | External Website |