Tree Benefits Calculator

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Larger, fast-growing deciduous species (oak, tulip poplar, sycamore) generally provide the highest annual benefits.
Diameter at Breast Height - measure the trunk circumference about 4.5 feet (1.4 m) above the ground, then divide by 3.14. A sapling is roughly 1-3 in; a mature street tree 12-20 in; a grand old tree 24+ in.
inches
Urban and street trees provide higher stormwater and air-quality benefits because demand is greater and impervious surface area is higher.
Energy benefits apply only when a tree provides shade (cooling) or acts as a windbreak (heating) for a structure. Conifers on the north/west side provide better heating savings; deciduous on the south/west side shade best in summer.
Used only to estimate the property value uplift. Leave at 0 to skip this benefit.
USD
Total annual benefitSignificant benefit
$174

Sum of all five benefit streams per year

Stormwater management$16
Energy savings$41
CO2 sequestration$1
Air quality improvement$11
Property value uplift$105
Stormwater intercepted1,960gal/yr
CO2 sequestered470lbs/yr
Electricity saved90kWh/yr
Stormwater$16
Energy$41
CO2$1
Air quality$11
Property$105

This tree provides an estimated $174 in annual ecosystem services.

  • Over a 30-year lifespan this tree will provide roughly $5,232 in total ecosystem services.
  • It sequesters about 470 lbs of CO2 per year, equivalent to removing a car from the road for roughly 529 miles.
  • Its canopy and roots intercept 1960 gallons of stormwater runoff each year, reducing flooding and treatment costs.
  • Because it shades or shelters a building, it saves approximately $41 in energy bills annually through shade and windbreak effects.

Next stepTo maximize benefits, ensure adequate soil volume (ideally 1,000+ cubic feet), avoid soil compaction, and prune only to remove dead or hazardous branches. Healthy, unpruned canopies intercept the most stormwater and sequester the most carbon.

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