Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
America’s favorite tree is the maple, followed closely by oaks. • The majority of Americans have climbed a tree (67%), half (51%) have gone leaf-peeping, and just over a third (36%) have hugged a tree. • If trees could talk, most of us would want them to sound like Morgan Freeman, though nearly one in three GenZers would prefer Leonardo DiCaprio’s voice.
In honor of Arbor Day 2024, the Arbor Day Foundation just released the “The Canopy Report,” a new consumer report on how America sees trees. And while the stats above represent some of the more playful statistics, the findings examine Americans’ interactions with green space, their perceptions of the health and environmental benefits of trees, and their feelings about climate change.
Some of the noteworthy findings include:
Trees are a backbone of American communities. (Good news for landscapers!)
- Nine in 10 Americans (91%) believe that trees help make neighborhoods more livable, and nearly four in 10 (38%) say they chose their home location based on access to green spaces.
- 91% of Americans believe that trees are important to the health and well-being of communities.
- Just under two-thirds of Americans(63%) feel a deep sense of responsibility to care for the trees in their community.
People are happier around trees, yet many crave more time and access.
The report indicated Americans overwhelmingly understand trees make people healthier. 88% percent of people regularly engage in activities around trees and green spaces. Those who engage with trees and green spaces on a daily basis are happier and score higher in their mental and physical health scores than those spending time in nature less often, according to the report.
And yet, Americans want more time and access. Americans are looking to boost their time in the outdoors by nearly 90 minutes a day, 77% of people said they wished their neighborhood had more trees and green spaces, and while more than half of Americans say they need to drive to their nearest green space.
Many Americans have been personally impacted by climate change and feelings of ‘climate dread’ is prevalent.
According to the results, almost two-thirds of people say they’ve personally felt the effects of climate change and more than half report experiencing feelings of ‘climate dread.’
Most Americans understand the positive impact trees have in addressing climate change.
An overwhelming majority of Americans, according to the Canopy Report, acknowledge that trees can be a solution to some of these problems. The findings reveal that 90% of people understand trees are key to helping address climate change. Additionally, 9 in 10 people agree that “trees are not a nice-to-have, they’re a necessity” as a tool to address climate change. It’s no surprise, then, that Americans say addressing deforestation is one of the most called-upon climate-related challenges Americans can fix if people work together.
“In many ways, the Canopy Report is a resounding affirmation of the power of trees and their critical function in our everyday lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Americans understand the value trees planted in the right places for the right reasons can have on our own health, the health of our communities, and the role they play as a solution to some of the biggest issues facing the planet today, like climate change.”
The Canopy Report was developed in collaboration with The Harris Poll, a nationally-recognized consumer research firm. The Arbor Day Foundation is the largest membership nonprofit in the world dedicated to planting trees. It helped to plant and distribute around 50 million trees last year alone in communities and forests around the world. For more information about the Arbor Day Foundation, visit arborday.org.
For more news on trees, see:
Emerging Tech Addresses Root Girdling
Assessing Trees For Storm Resilience
Seven Tough Trees For Urban Areas & Climate Challenges In 2023