Here's yet another good (not lengthy) read about how nature positively impacts each of us.


http://www.naturewithin.info/New/2016.11.Economic_Benefits_of_Nature_in_Cities.KWolf.pdf 

How much impact can be made by replacing aging trees in an urban area?
PBS News Hour explored that question.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ambitious-louisville-study-seeks-to-understand-impact-of-trees-on-our-health 

Today
Cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Tuesday
Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 41. West wind 10 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 28. West wind 3 to 7 mph.
New Year's Day
Sunny, with a high near 51. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Thursday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.
Thursday Night
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Friday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 45.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 46.

By Theodore Endreny
Professor of Water Resources & Ecological Engineering, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry


Megacities are on the rise. There are currently 47 such areas around the globe, each housing more than 10 million residents.
More than half the global population now lives in urban areas, comprising about 3 percent of the Earth. The ecological footprint of this growth is vast and there’s far more that can be done to improve life for urban residents around the world.
When it comes to natural spaces, trees are keystone species in the urban ecosystem, providing a number of services that benefit people. My research team has calculated just how much a tree matters for many urban areas, particularly megacities. Trees clean the air and water, reduce stormwater floods, improve building energy use and mitigate climate change, among other things.
For every dollar invested in planting, cities see an average US$2.25 return on their investment each year.

Measuring trees

Our team, led by Dr. David Nowak of the USDA Forest Service and Scott Maco of Davey Institute, develops the tree benefits software i-Tree Tools.
These tools simulate the relationship between trees and ecosystem services they provide. These services can include food, clean air and water, climate and flood control, pollination, recreation and noise damping. We currently don’t simulate many services, so our calculations actually underestimate the value of urban trees.
Our software can simulate how a tree’s structure – such as height, canopy size and leaf area – affects the services it provides. It can estimate how trees will reduce water flooding; or explore how trees will affect air quality, building energy use and air pollution levels in their community. It can also allow users to inventory trees in their own area.
Our systematic aerial surveys of 35 megacities suggest that 20 percent of the average megacity’s urban core is covered by forest canopy. But this can vary greatly. Trees cover just 1 percent of Lima, Peru, versus 36 percent in New York City.


We wanted to determine how much trees contribute to human well-being in the places where humans are most concentrated, and nature perhaps most distant. In addition, we wanted to calculate how many additional trees could be planted in each megacity to improve the quality of life.

How tree density affects a city

We looked in detail at 10 megacities around the world, including Beijing, Cairo, Mexico City, Los Angeles and London. These megacities are distributed across five continents and represent different natural habitats. Cairo was the smallest, at 1173 square kilometers, while Tokyo measured in at a whopping 18,720.
For most cities, we looked at Google Maps aerial imagery, randomly selecting 500 points and classifying each as tree canopy, grass, shrub and so on.


We calculated that tree cover was linked to significant cost savings. Each square kilometer saved about $0.93 million in air pollution health care costs, $20,000 by capturing water runoff, and $478,000 in building energy heating and cooling savings.
What’s more, the median annual value of carbon dioxide sequestered by megacity tree cover was $7.9 million. That comes out to about $17,000 per square kilometer. The total CO2 stored was valued at $242 million, using a measure called the social cost of carbon.
The sum of all annual services provided by the megacity trees had a median annual value of $505 million. That provides a median value of $967,000 per square kilometer of tree cover.


Trees in your city

An entire urban forest can provide services for a good life.
All of the cities we studied had the potential to add additional trees, with about 18 percent of the metropolitan area on average available. Potential spots included areas with sidewalks, parking lots and plaza areas. The tree’s canopy could extend above the human-occupied area, with the trunk positioned to allow for pedestrian passage or parking.
Want to conserve forests and plant more trees in your area? Everyone can take action. City and regional planners can continue to incorporate the planning for urban forests. Those who are elected to office can continue to share a vision that the urban forest is an important part of the community, and they can advocate and support groups that are looking to increase it.
Individuals who cannot plant a tree might add a potted shrub, which is smaller than a tree but has a leafy canopy that can contribute similar benefits. For the property owner wanting to take charge, our i-Tree software can assist with selecting a tree type and location. A local arborist or urban forester could also help.

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Here's a link to this story:  https://theconversation.com/we-calculated-how-much-money-trees-save-for-your-city-95198 

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​Today
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Areas of dense fog until Noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tonight
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 5am. Low around 56. Southeast wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday
A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 63. South wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night
Rain likely before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. South wind 11 to 14 mph becoming west in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. West wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
New Year's Day
Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
Wednesday Night
A 30 percent chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Thursday
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.
Thursday Night
A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 52.

​Today
Cloudy, with a high near 49. North wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 41. East wind 5 to 8 mph.
Saturday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Steady temperature around 58. Southeast wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. South wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Sunday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 43.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
New Year's Day
Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.
Wednesday Night
A slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday
A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

​Today
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South wind 7 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South wind 6 to 9 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Friday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph after midnight.
Saturday
A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Sunday
A chance of showers before noon, then a chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Sunday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 27.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 42.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
New Year's Day
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

​Christmas Day
Sunny, with a high near 65. South wind around 11 mph.
Tonight
Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. South wind 7 to 11 mph.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. South wind 5 to 8 mph.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Saturday
Showers likely, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night
Rain, mainly before midnight. Low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of rain and snow before 10pm, then a slight chance of snow between 10pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.

Today
Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 7 to 9 mph.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
Christmas Day
Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 66. South wind 6 to 11 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 51.
Friday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Saturday
Rain likely, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 57. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night
Rain likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday
A slight chance of rain and snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

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​This Afternoon
Sunny, with a high near 56. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable.
Tonight
Patchy fog after 9pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Light south wind.
Tuesday
Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
Christmas Day
Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. South wind 5 to 7 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Friday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.
Friday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Saturday
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 46.