Benefits of an Oak Tree

There are several versions of the Oak Tree: White Oak, Cork Oak, and Stave Oak are just a few. The Stave Oak, otherwise called Quercus Alba, is described as: “It is 18 to 45 m (60 to 150 feet) tall, with pale-gray, shallowly fissured, scaly bark. The glossy, bright green leaves, about 23 cm (9 inches) long and narrow toward the base, are divided almost to the midrib into seven or nine lobes; they turn wine red in autumn.“ Adult Oak Trees have environmental, economic, and cultural benefits.  Some of their environmental benefits include removing 21 kilograms of carbon on average a year. The social cost of a kilogram of carbon is five cents, so this provides approximately $1.05 of value a year. They also cool neighborhoods where they are planted that have over 40% tree cover by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit. An adult Oak Tree holds 35-70 tons of soil, preventing the soil from further erosion. An Oak Tree that is placed in the right area can lower air conditioning by up to 30%. Some of the other economic benefits include: lowering heating bills in the winter by up to 10% by blocking cold wind. White Oak trees, in particular, have some minor anti-invasive species properties.  Cork Oak Trees can easily live for 250 years. A Middle-aged Cork Tree can provide 220 pounds of wood. According to some studies, a healthy tree can increase the value of a house by 3-15%. The average is 7%.