The Critical Roles of Overstory Trees

After a week of extreme heat, our towering trees have reminded us just how valuable they are. Their shade offers a cooler escape from the intense sun—for both people and wildlife. Beneath their branches, temperatures drop, and the air feels more bearable. Trees not only provide shelter but also help cool the environment by releasing moisture and softening the sun’s impact with their leafy canopies.

It can feel up to 13°F cooler under the tree canopy than in open areas. The leaves slow down the rainfall from our summer storms, helping the ground absorb the water without flooding. The trees also cool the air through shade and the process of releasing water vapor (evapotranspiration), making the area more comfortable during hot weather.

The trees, steadfast and stoic, anchor the soil, preventing erosion. As the trees grow, they pull carbon dioxide out of the air, bind it up in sugar, and release oxygen. Plus, trees are home to hundreds of animals, big and small, and are an important part of nature. They give shelter, hold the soil in place, and provide food and support for life around them.

London Town and Gardens plays host to many such trees, with the oldest being about 200 years old. Among the ins and outs of life, among the brutal summer heat, there is respite to be found among the trees. With 10 acres of woodland gardens, London Town is the perfect place to seek sanctuary from the summer sun.