Growing Quality of Life: Urban Trees, Birth Weight, and Crime
Science Findings, Pacific Northwest Research Station*
“No town can fail of beauty,
though its walks were gutters and
its houses hovels, if venerable trees
make magnificent colonnades
along its streets.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
IN SUMMARY
City dwellers can find many reasons to value neighborhood trees. Urban greenery provides relief from the built environment that many people find appealing. In fact, a previous study found that a tree in front of a home increased that home’s sale price by more than $7,000. Two new studies explore the measurable effects that urban trees and green spaces have on human health and crime rates.
Geoffrey Donovan, an economist and research forester with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, used public health data, crime statistics, tax records, aerial photos, and other information in the two recent studies. He found that women who live in houses with more trees are less likely to have underweight babies. The study on crime revealed a more complex relationship. Larger trees, including trees located near the street, are associated with a lower incidence of property crimes. Larger numbers of smaller trees — especially trees planted near the home, which may provide a screen for burglars — are associated with higher crime.
Cities within the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area are using this information as they rewrite street tree regulations. Likewise, local crime prevention programs and tree planting advocates are sharing the findings with urban residents.
Key Findings
Scientists found a positive association between urban trees and birth outcomes:
- Greater tree canopy cover within 50 meters of the mother’s house was associated with a reduced risk of having an underweight baby. Proximity to private open space also appeared to reduce this risk. Past research has shown that exposure to the natural environment can reduce stress levels, so it may be that trees improve birth outcomes through stress reduction.
- Houses fronted with more street trees experienced lower crime rates, as did houses with large yard trees. These results hold for total-crime rates as well as specific property crimes such as vandalism and burglary. Trees may reduce crime by signaling that a neighborhood is well cared for.
- Yards that contained many small trees had higher crime rates, perhaps because small trees and shrubs can obstruct views, making it easier for criminals to hide. Other view-obstructing features, such as fences, were also associated with higher crime rates.
The complete report can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi137.pdf and is written by John Kirkland who has been writing about science, higher education, and business for more than 20 years. He lives in Portland, Oregon
*PNW Science Findings is published monthly by Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 3890, Portland, Oregon 97208
Science Findings is online at:
More Articles
- National Institutes of Health: Common Misconceptions About Vitamins and Minerals
- Oppenheimer: July 28 UC Berkeley Panel Discussion Focuses On The Man Behind The Movie
- Julia Sneden Wrote: Love Your Library
- Scientific Energy Breakeven: Advancements in National Defense and the Future of Clean Power
- Center for Strategic and International Studies: “The Future Outlook with Dr. Anthony Fauci”
- Kaiser Health News Research Roundup: Pan-Coronavirus Vaccine; Long Covid; Supplemental Vitamin D; Cell Movement
- Indoor and Vertical Farming May Be Part of the Solution to Rising Demands for Food and Limited Natural Resources
- National Severe Storm Laboratory; NSSL Research: Flooding the Number One Hazardous Weather Killer In the US
- On Earth Day Find Your 'Local' Waterkeeper Organization; Biden's National Climate Task Force
- Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”; Eight Women Across 3 Centuries in Smithsonian Exhibit