A green, leafy canopy benefits more than just the birds. Trees planted along the street, or in high numbers across a neighborhood, are pleasing to the eye and offer much-needed shade when temperatures climb.

Now, a new study from scientists in Switzerland credits another benefit to our arboreal companions: lowering our mortality.

That’s right — numerous, well-arranged trees in neighborhoods are linked to lower mortality risks than other areas.

We specify “well-arranged” because the study seeks to answer a question many urban planners face: How do you add trees when space for new ones is in short supply?

Over the 10-0year period from 2010 to 2019, researchers addressed this question in Switzerland and Singapore. They looked at high-resolution tree canopy data to understand green spaces close to peoples’ homes — and the placement of the trees themselves. Then, they calculated the survival rates of more than 6 million people by neighborhood. The researchers focused only on deaths from natural causes.

Data showed that tree canopy cover in residential areas, and the trees’ spatial arrangement, had a correlation with mortality. Folks who lived in neighborhoods with large, contiguous tree canopies had a lower mortality risk than those who didn’t — a contrast especially evident in highly developed urban areas with poor air quality and high temperatures.

The specific mechanisms, however, bear examination. For now, the team intends to distill its results into specific recommendations for urban planners … helping to create a future where anyone can be a tree-hugger if they want to be.