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Trees Help with Drought Mediation

Trees Help with Drought Mediation

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Blog

Trees, in addition to their many benefits for people and wildlife, also benefit their surrounding trees and native plants. Peter Wohlleben, a German scientist, believes that trees communicate with one another, and with native plant species as well. This is something that previously was disputed, but has since been gaining traction in the scientific community.

Wohlleben, along with other German scientists, has discovered that trees of the same species create a type of alliance and become dependent on one another. They form a connection through the use of mycorrhizal networks where the roots of trees connect to fungal filaments, allowing a form of communication between the trees. This fungal connection allows the trees to share nutrients and water, as well as alert each other about droughts, invasive insects, or other distressing events. This communicative system allows trees to learn from one another and change their behavior based on the event at hand.

When nearby trees are struggling, other trees will feed them sugar and other nutrients needed to survive. Having a network of trees to support one another will help ensure their survival and will promote the health of other native species planted nearby. In addition, when drought conditions are prolonged, trees have been able to access deep-water through their root system, allowing for extended survival in sub-optimal conditions. Trees will make adjustments to their growing periods in times of drought, conserving resources while attempting to access other sources of water.

It is important to have trees and native species in your community that can adjust to different weather conditions and maintain their health in periods of drought, or when faced with invasive species. Of course, it is always great to help your tree when it needs a little assistance, but the native trees GHEP provides are strong, sturdy trees that will benefit you over the years! Check out our Family Tree Adoption Program page to gain more information about this program and learn how you can participate!

Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8457149/
https://www.forestsociety.org/something-wild/what-happens-trees-drought

Protecting the Earth: Trees are a Cost-Effective Solution to Climate Change

Protecting the Earth: Trees are a Cost-Effective Solution to Climate Change

by | Oct 1, 2026 | Blog

Trees have a wide variety of benefits that they offer, both to humans and to our natural environment. For example, trees improve our mental health, reduce energy use, reduce water and air pollution, protect us from the urban heat island effect, and create social and economic opportunities, to name a few. What all these benefits have in common is that they all contribute to minimizing the effects of climate change on our environment.

The energy that urban trees conserve is one of the most important factors in reducing our impact on the environment. Strategically placed trees can provide shade to buildings and alter the wind patterns, keeping the home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. A single tree in an urban area sequesters 4.5-11 kg of carbon, but is responsible for avoiding the combustion of 18 kg of carbon annually, accounting for reduced energy use in addition to the carbon sequestration. This makes one urban tree equal to the impact of 3-5 trees in a forest. With such a prominent impact on our environment, the increased planting and maintenance of urban trees is something that will reduce our impact. Although this impact will not make an extreme difference on a global scale, every action makes a difference.

In addition, the reduced use of energy is not the only benefit trees have as we try to mitigate climate change. Trees have an effect on both air pollution and water pollution. In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, runoff is a growing source of pollution. As more land continues to be developed, there is more surface area where rainwater cannot be absorbed, and instead continues to collect pollutants and carry them into rivers and streams. This is where trees come into play. In urban areas where there is not a large amount of trees or natural areas, increasing the presence of trees has a large effect on reducing runoff. Trees absorb water through their roots and collect water on their leaves, which is returned to the atmosphere through a process called evapotranspiration. Having a tree in your yard or out by the street can make a big difference when it comes to reducing pollution in the beloved Chesapeake Bay.

Trees also play a significant role in reducing air pollution. They intercept particulate matter and absorb airborne pollutants, leaving the air cleaner than it was. The Conservation Law Foundation estimates that 45 million tons of carbon are absorbed by urban forests in the U.S., and that this number could more than double if more trees were strategically planted in urban areas.

Trees are constantly benefiting the areas around them, and as they age and grow, their benefits only continue to increase. GHEP wants to help contribute to reducing the effects of climate change on our communities in Prince George’s County. Through our Family Tree Adoption Program, you can plant at least three free trees in your yard, which will provide endless benefits to yourself, your community, and the environment.

Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749101002640?via%3Dihub
https://www.cbf.org/issues/polluted-runoff/index.html
https://www.clf.org/blog/urban-trees-benefit-our-climate-and-health/

Trees Create Economic Opportunities: Are You Tapping In?

Trees Create Economic Opportunities: Are You Tapping In?

by | Sep 24, 2026 | Blog

Trees have many intrinsic values, meaning that they have value simply because they exist, not for any external benefits. We appreciate them for their beauty and for what they provide to the natural world. However, our world is largely based on economics, which promotes the monetary value of objects in contrast to their intrinsic value. No matter which way trees are viewed, they will always have a benefit to society and our environment, whether it be intrinsic or economical.

The presence of trees enhances many economic sectors. Businesses with trees surrounding them attract more traffic, tenants are more satisfied with their rental if it has trees, and homes or businesses surrounded by trees or small wooded areas sell quicker and for more money than those that do not have trees. Rental properties that have a high-quality landscape, which includes trees, rent for 7% higher than homes of similar value without landscaping efforts. Studies have even found that homes in neighborhoods with street trees, which create a canopy cover over the road, sell for $7,000 more than homes that do not have street trees. Growing trees in both the backyard of a home and near the street creates not only a beautiful environment for children and residents to enjoy, but it also makes the neighborhood a more desirable place to live.

The benefits trees create for shopping centers benefit the stores’ profits directly. Shoppers will pay approximately 10% more on products and are more likely to frequent shopping centers if they are surrounded by trees. The economic benefits of trees are endless, and extend far beyond directly benefiting businesses’ profits. They remove pollutants from the air, increase health and therefore economic output. They reduce stormwater runoff, increasing the cleanliness of the Chesapeake Bay, reducing costs necessary to remove pollution.

Trees in communities can also be used to incentivize individuals to create small businesses, from selling fruit to increased need for landscaping as trees become more present. A single fruit tree can produce a large quantity of fruit. Having this accessible would be a great opportunity to teach children how to care for the tree, how to harvest fruit, and distribute it throughout the neighborhood.

GHEP wants to see your community benefit from the incorporation of trees. Our Family Tree Adoption Program provides free trees to Prince George’s County residents, as we hope to see an increase in your quality of life and the quality of your community. Visit our Family Tree Adoption Program page to request your free trees today!

Sources:
https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/elibrary-item/economic-benefits-of-trees/

The Hidden Cooling System: Trees Cool the Streets and the City

The Hidden Cooling System: Trees Cool the Streets and the City

by | Jul 2, 2026 | Blog

The Urban Heat Island effect is a very well-known consequence of a city’s architecture. Black pavement, buildings, and other structures absorb sunlight and emit it back into the atmosphere, heating the city much more than a forested area. This is a very dramatic effect, creating a difference of 1-7℉ between cities and rural area temperatures. Do you ever feel the heat radiating off the pavement in a parking lot? Suddenly the weather doesn’t seem very bearable anymore. This effect occurs throughout cities as they are highly paved, leaving little room for nature. This can create issues for city dwellers who suffer from asthma or other respiratory illnesses, and causes an increase in heat-related illnesses in urban areas. As cities continue to experience elevated temperatures, city planners and landscape architects have turned to trees and green spaces as a method of reducing the impacts of the urban heat island effect.

But why trees? Trees provide shade, which, in urban areas, prevents sunlight from being absorbed by pavement. In addition, trees complete a process called evapotranspiration, which is when trees absorb water from the ground and then evaporate this water through their leaves. The atmospheric cooling is a byproduct of this process, as the trees use warm air from the atmosphere to evaporate water, creating a cooling effect around them.

A study used models to adjust the tree cover across 93 European cities and found that increasing the tree cover to 30% could eliminate 2,644 out of 6,700 premature heat-related deaths in these 93 cities. In a world where the climate becomes a more present threat, it is even more important to do everything we can to regulate temperatures in urban areas, even if the difference seems small. An Environmental Health Perspectives article found that with each 1℉ increase in temperature during a heat wave, mortality risk rates increase by 2.49%. During a heat wave, 1℉ may not seem like a lot, but it does make a significant difference, even the difference between life and death for some. Having trees present in urban areas can reduce the intensity of heat waves, decreasing the mortality risk rates during these events.

At Global Health and Education Projects, Inc., we understand the importance of living in an urban or suburban area where you can feel comfortable, safe, and healthy. Utilizing the immense benefits of trees will allow your neighborhood and your family to thrive. Want to get your free trees, check out our Family Tree Adoption Program.

Sources:

How Do Trees Conserve Energy?

How Do Trees Conserve Energy?

by | Jun 29, 2026 | Blog

Trees, especially in forests, are known for their ability to sequester carbon, acting as carbon sinks for the surrounding environment. While this is a common feature of forests, it is often expected that single trees would not be able to make an impact as significant as that of a forest. And while this assumption would be correct in the fact that one tree cannot do what an entire forest can, it is untrue when it comes to the impact per tree.

While a single tree in an urban area sequesters 4.5-11 kg of carbon, the same amount as a tree in a forest, it is responsible for avoiding the combustion of 18 kg of carbon annually. This discrepancy is due to the reduction in energy use that urban trees create by providing shade for buildings in the area, reducing their need for cooling. This makes the impact of one tree in an urban area equivalent to the impact of 3-5 trees in a forest.

When planting trees in your yard, there are many factors to consider. Do I want my tree to have fruit? Should it be deciduous or evergreen? Where should I plant my tree? This question is especially important as it could save a percentage of money allotted to paying for energy.

Depending on the shade provided by the tree and other factors affecting the area, each tree can provide up to $200 in energy savings over its lifetime. Maryland is a temperate region, which means that the tree must be placed to allow for the maximization of the sun to warm the house in the winter, provide shade in the summer, deflect winter winds away from the house, and bring summer breezes towards the home. Accounting for these conditions can reduce 25% of the energy used in your home.

In addition to saving money on utility bills, increasing the tree canopy in your neighborhoods can have significant reductions in carbon emissions at power plants, as less energy will be needed to keep homes cool. A study conducted in Sacramento, California, created a model where four trees would be planted in each yard. The model found that there would be a reduction of 60 kilotons of carbon emissions as a result of decreased energy consumption.

GHEP’s Family Tree Adoption Program (FTAP) allows Prince George’s County residents to select up to three free trees for their home. By participating in the FTAP, you can save money on energy bills and play a part in reducing Prince George’s County emissions! And that is a double take. The trees not only beautify; they also add to your pocket.

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