This is one of Waikanae’s leafier streets, and apart from a handful of certain property businessmen, no-one can fail to be impressed by it.

Although they should be superfluous to state, here from the Saving our Trees – Marrickville municipality blog are the benefits of trees to help a certain Waikanae tree vandal and those like him -–

• A good street tree can add 30% to your property value.
• A street full of good leafy street trees is a real estate agent’s pleasure because all houses will sell for more than the same kind of house in the same kind of condition in a street that does not have street trees, or has poor quality street trees.
• Street trees provide a buffer from traffic & collect particulate matter pollution from passing vehicles.  Without this buffer, that particulate matter pollution is much more likely to reach your lungs.
• Particulate matter causes lung irritation, respiratory illnesses & impairs airway function. It also can cause irregular heartbeat, heart attacks & premature death in people with heart or lung disease.  It also collects on buildings.
• The shade of a tree can reduce air temperature by 1 – 8 degrees Celsius in summer.
• The canopy acts as a buffer for wind & can reduce wind speed by 10%.
• Trees are nature’s air conditioners & they cool down surface heat & lower the urban heat island effect.
• Trees also sequester CO2 & produce oxygen.
• They help capture stormwater.
• Trees provide habitat & food for wildlife.
• People are happier & have less depression when able to be around trees.