This weekend I was riding around town and started to look around, observing how people use trees and, I would argue, love trees. Not only did I see beautiful trees and big trees, but I also noticed how people were attracted to the shade of trees. I know there are thousands of reasons people love trees, with shade being a prominent one.
Some examples:
- The shade of trees creates a cool place to sit. There was the Festival of Virginia Fiddling at Byrd Park this weekend. I noticed that groups of players did not assemble in the open fields, but instead gathered under the shade of a tree.
- There is a bike parking rack at Triple Crossing at Fulton Hill under the shade of a red oak tree. In addition to a nice cool place to park your bike, it’s also a pleasing place to hang out and talk before continuing on your ride.
- I remember reading an article one time that said shaded road asphalt lasts longer than asphalt in the open sun; although I have not cited articles, I believe this to be true.
- When it gets really hot on a bike ride, I notice the wooded trails are more pleasant. I find myself riding on shaded streets or at least the shady side of the street.
![Resting in the shade during a bike ride.](https://remarkabletrees.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/24175542/2023Aug24_Advice-Article-Img-2-224x300.png)
- Just last week I had a client tell me about how much he loved the shade on his pool. Although there may be more debris from trees, I hear the shade keeps the pool cooler in the summer.
- Parking spots with shade are usually taken up before the rest of the parking lot fills up.
- Grass is cooler to sit on in the shade vs the hot grass in an open lawn.
![Grass is cooler in the shade](https://remarkabletrees.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/24175544/2023Aug24_Advice-Article-Img-3-224x300.png)
- Walking dogs in the shade is much cooler. Especially for sensitive paws.
![Pets stay cooler and free of paw pad burns.](https://remarkabletrees.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/24175548/2023Aug24_Advice-Article-Img-4-224x300.png)
- Leaf patterns in the shade of trees move with the wind and are fun to watch; this past weekend I noticed really cool patterns from the shadows of pawpaw leaves.
- Shaded spaces are great places to find fungi and other organisms that prefer cooler soil.
![Fungi and other critters prefer shad.](https://remarkabletrees.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/24175550/2023Aug24_Advice-Article-Img-5-224x300.png)
If you’d like to learn more details of tree shade, check out James Luggan’s article posted a few weeks ago: Keep it Cooler in the Trees