Applications for facilities wishing to receive Tree Campus Healthcare recognition will be accepted through December 31, 2019. Photo Courtesy Arbor Day Foundation
Lincoln, Neb. – Earlier this month, the Arbor Day Foundation announced today the launch of its new Tree Campus Healthcare program. The Tree Campus Healthcare recognition program connects inpatient healthcare facilities of all sizes with local community forestry programs to improve human health outcomes, while improving the extent and condition of community forests.
Through Tree Campus Healthcare, thousands of people and hundreds of communities will be touched by the proven health benefits of trees. Facilities in the U.S. delivering inpatient healthcare services are eligible for Tree Campus Healthcare recognition, including hospitals, senior care, and other residential rehabilitation centers.
Research shows that patient interaction with green space, gardens, parks, and natural areas helps the human condition. Specifically, trees play an important role in improving the physical and mental health of the global population in a variety of ways, including improving respiratory health, lowering urban temperatures, and providing restorative properties.
There is also an economic case for investments in trees. Access to trees is a social determinant of health; having ten more trees on a city block is comparable to an annual increase in income of $10,000 or being seven years younger. Additionally, a 1% increase in tree cover of a county’s land is associated with an average annual Medicare expenditure savings of $4.32 per person per year.
To receive Tree Campus Healthcare Recognition, eligible facilities will conduct planning and activities that fulfill the five program standards throughout the calendar year. Those standards include: the formation of an advisory committee, development of a tree care plan, participation in a community forestry project, sponsorship of a celebration event or education campaign, and a suggested commitment to financial investment in tree projects, education events, and/or community outreach.
“Tree Campus Healthcare will shine a light on healthcare facilities leading the way to advance human health and wellness through trees,” said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. “The program seeks to help raise awareness about the importance of trees — not only for the environmental benefits they provide but also for the pivotal role they can play in the global future of health.”
For more information or to apply, please visit www.treecampushealthcare.org. This program is made possible through financial support from professional partner Davey Tree and the collaboration of the Professional Grounds Management Society, Practice Greenhealth and the USDA Forest Service.