Baltimore has 2.8 million trees.

If we lost all our trees, it would cost us $3.4 BILLION to replace them. This does not take into account the services our trees provide, such as cleaning our air and water, improving our health and increasing our property values.

Current value of services provided by Baltimore’s trees:

• $3.3 million a year in energy savings by shading buildings from the summer sun and blocking winter winds;
• $10.7 million a year storing 527 tons of carbon. Carbon is a harmful gas that contributes greatly to the greenhouse effect;
• $3.8 million a year by removing 700 metric tons of air pollution (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide etc);
• $1.6 million a year by removing 244 metric tons of ozone. Ground-level ozone is the main ingredient in smog and a leading contributing factor of asthma.

Over the life of a single tree, it is not unreasonable to conclude that $57,000 in economic and environmental benefits are provided.