Did you know that trees can make you more active outdoors? Yes, they can. Spending time out in nature is fun and healthy. It can be therapeutic and rejuvenating. Research shows that the time you spend outdoors can improve your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. People who live in greener communities are three times more likely to be physically active and about 40 percent less overweight than those who don’t.
So, how do trees make you more active outdoors?
- Trees provide shade. We know this seems awfully simplistic, but it’s true. People like to stay cool, especially in warm weather. Trees provide a much-needed respite from the heat. When there are ample opportunities for folks to walk or sit under a shaded tree, people are more likely to head outdoors. Did you know that evaporation from water on the leaves of a tree can make the temperature a few degrees color? Yeah, that surprised us too, but it’s true.
- Trees are beautiful. Well-cared for spaces that include trees are visually appealing. People are willing to pay more for a house with a well-manicured lawn and pretty trees. When walking by homes with these lovely accoutrements, people feel happier and want to walk greater distances and more often. They’re just beautiful sights to behold.
- Trees provide us with stress relief. Have you ever felt calmed or soothed by a tree? So many of us have. Research indicates that trees do indeed have a calming effect on our spirits. Exercising outdoors rather than indoors helps people feel more revitalized, rejuvenated and energized. Outdoor exercisers also feel more engaged with others and less tense overall. For every one percent increase in green space, there is a decline in people’s stress levels. That’s good news for all of us, right?
- Trees help us to socialize more. We know – this seems like a non-sequitur but it’s not. Where there is more tree cover, we have more social interactions. We’re not sure why the research shows that. However, maybe it has something to do with the fact that people come out of doors much more often when there are more trees around. They also stay outdoors longer so that they form better relationships with their neighbors. This can encourage more group activities like neighborhood bike rides or walking clubs.
- Trees keep us safe. Did you know that greening up a location can cause crime to go down? We don’t fully understand the correlation, but we accept that it exists. It seems that the presence of a well-cared for space, whether it’s a garden or a park, is enough to ward off offenders. There are numerous theories as to why this is the case. Perhaps it’s due to the presence of maintenance vehicles, the pride people hold in a well-cared for space or just more onlookers watching the street. Whatever the reason, the fact is that trees create safer neighborhoods. When people feel safe in their homes, they tend to come out of them more often.
We hope this article has helped you see why trees can make you more active outdoors. Hopefully, you are lucky enough to live in a tree-lined location. If not, maybe you can go visit one nearby. In Austin, we have loads of lovely trees. If you want to learn more about trees, please stay tuned to our blog. We try to bring you an informative tree article every week.
