Our town centres are the soul of the community, busy places where people meet for work and leisure. Not only do trees make these places more welcoming and appealing, but they’re also proven to boost the local economy and improve people’s health!
The Trees for Streets scheme enables businesses to sponsor tree planting in their local neighbourhood, or further afield – to give back to their communities in a way that’s good for society, the environment and the local economy.
Here are some of the ways that sponsoring trees is good for business too:
Give back to the local community
Trees can make a tangible difference to people’s lives.
It’s well documented that spending time around trees makes people feel happier and reduces anxiety. Even just looking at trees reduces cortisol levels in the body.
Trees create a more attractive urban environment that encourages people to go outdoors and exercise too, which in turn benefits their physical and mental health.
Trees are also a haven for wildlife. Simply listening to birds can make us feel more relaxed and happy. Being close to wildlife helps connect us to nature and provides an important opportunity for children to learn more about the environment.
Overall, tree-lined streets are more pleasant to live and work on. By sponsoring some in your area, you can make a big impact on how your staff, colleagues and local customers feel about the area and your business. This even has an impact on productivity – so trees can help you get the best from your employees!
Do your bit for the environment
We all must do everything we can to combat climate breakdown. The effects on the earth will be devastating. Higher temperatures alongside wetter winters and drier summers are already affecting us here in the UK.
Planting more trees is one of the best things we can do to help.
Trees are like carbon sinks. Just one tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere. To reach the government’s net-zero target by 2050, we need to increase tree cover from 13% to 19%.
Promote your green credentials
People today care about climate issues and the environment and want to do business with brands that align with their values and help them feel like they are making a difference.
An independent study from 2018 revealed that 4 out of 5 people say they are more likely to purchase from a brand with a positive approach to environmental sustainability.
Getting involved in the Trees for Streets campaign is a clear demonstration of your business’s green credentials for everyone in the local area to see.
The trees that we plant are semi-mature, meaning that they are 3-5 metres tall, so they make a visual impact from day one!
Your sponsorship is a great story to tell through all of your marketing channels. Depending on how many trees you decide to sponsor, we can also provide further support to help you make the most out of your street greening efforts from a marketing perspective.
One easy way to let people know about your involvement with this scheme is to take photographs of the trees you’ve sponsored as they grow – these make great content to use in your newsletters and social media campaigns.
Boost the local economy
It’s been predicted that strategically planting 6000 trees across a large English town would boost the local economy by £48 million over half a century, or nearly £1 million per year.
There are many reasons for this.
Tree-lined streets are more attractive and encourage people to go out and shop. Studies show that people will spend up to 12% more on goods or services in areas with large, well-cared-for trees. People are even willing to pay more for parking in landscaped car parks.
Leafy neighbourhoods are more desirable places to live and this is reflected in higher property prices in areas with more trees.
Streets with more trees even have lower crime levels – according to a study by the University of Vermont, which found that a 10% increase in trees in an area equated to a 12% decrease in crime.
Finally, trees help reduce council spending on infrastructure. For example, trees help reduce flooding by catching rain on their canopy and absorbing groundwater through their roots. Trees help regulate temperatures too, by providing shade. This results in around a 30% reduction in energy use from air conditioners.
Whether you’re a large company looking to develop your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme or a smaller business that wants to give something back to the community, donating trees is a wonderful gift that keeps on giving.
To find out more, email us at team@treesforstreets.org, or click the button below to get in touch.
