Trees and Health

Trees can save lives by reducing urban heat effects, improving cardiovascular health, supporting mental health and much more. GSGP is working with healthcare providers and institutions to promote the benefits trees have on public health. This project took root in Cleveland in conjunction with the launch of the Trees Initiative in 2023.

Spend 20-30 minutes a day near a tree.

Improve mental health & well-being

Trees reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress, which improves your mental health and well-being.

Strengthen heart health

Spending time outside and around trees can make you want to exercise more. Exercising helps you lose weight and reduces causes of heart disease.

Boost brain development

Trees support brain development in children. Playing in and around green spaces helps increase attention span and memory.
Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are reduced after spending time outside.

Reduce effects of heat & sun

Trees provide shade which can help you cool off on hot days.
Trees help block the sun’s ultraviolet light (UV) so you are at less risk for skin cancer.

Deliver a healthier baby

Pregnant women who spend time in green spaces are less stressed. Relaxed moms-to-be have a lower chance of the baby coming early. They also give birth to healthier babies.

Heal faster from surgery

Spending time outside or seeing green space after surgery can help you heal faster.

Breathe easier

Trees improve air quality. Trees remove harmful particles, also known as pollutants, from the air that can bother your lungs and worsen symptoms of respiratory diseases, like COPD.

Green spaces are good for our health. Consider doing one of the following activities at a park with trees, in your yard, or in your neighborhood:

🌲Walk, jog, or run
🌲Sit under a tree
🌲Picnic, BBQ or grill out with family or friends

🌲Watch birds & nature
🌲Create – journal, draw or paint
🌲Meditate or pray
🌲Play sports

Find an Arborist

Find an arborist near you if you are concerned about the health or safety of a tree on your property or in your neighborhood.

Plant A Tree

Contact the Cleveland Tree Coalition to learn how you can plant a tree on your property or in your neighborhood.

Find a Park

Find a park or green space near you in Cleveland, Ohio.

The first phase of work is focused in Cleveland, Ohio. GSGP hopes to replicate this work throughout the region to ensure all neighborhoods across the region benefit from increased tree canopy cover. Interested in partnering with GSGP? Contact us today.