A tribute to trees

They make us take root to the earth, and also encourage us to look at the sky. (The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.) Proverb.

The trees are magnificent gifts of creation that enrich our lives beyond all considerations. Their splendid canopy attenuated the summer heat, while sheltering us against the winter winds and warm us. Trees are the lungs of the earth, because they provide the oxygen necessary for life and absorb carbon dioxide that threatens the stability of our climate. Trees are a living link with the past, acting as conventions between generations. The oldest trees on earth are the Sequoias with yew leaves from California. They can reach up to 66 feet high, many of those giants are over 3000 years old, dating back to the bygone era and the Mayans and the pharaohs. The contemporary Sequoias are distant relatives of trees that were existing 100 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Trees help us to take our root on Earth, but also they encourage us to look at the sky, and are showing us possibilities that only us can ever imagine. Some smaller and fragile shoots are helping to extend the life of trees encouraging them to to reach extreme heights so that some of those older trees can literally reach into the heavens.

The trees environmental benefices

The environmental benefits of trees are substantial:

• they filter out toxic pollutants from the atmosphere through their leaves and those contained in the groundwater using their roots
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they contribute in the reduction of flooding;
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they ameliorate the quality of water runoff by slowing down the water runoff and by trapping, using or illuminating their pollutants;
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they reduce soil erosion;
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they produce dead leaves that help to enrich the soil and provides a place where microorganisms proliferate;
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they reject oxygen into the atmosphere;
  

  
  
   

  
  


• they ameliorate the air quality by filtering dust and absorbing ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and heavy metals in suspension.
  

  
  
  The Economic benefices of trees

  
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Trees contribute effectively to moderate the extreme temperatures and reduce the costs of heating and air conditioning. But the economic benefits of trees; doesn’t stop here. According to a study return on investment for each dollar spent on trees is three dollars for each tree, in terms of benefits for the community.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Three trees planted strategically around a house can reduce the heating costs by 10 to 30%, and air conditioning costs by 10 to 50%.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• The addition of each 5% of forest cover to a community decreases runoff from rainwater by 2%, thereby reducing the need for costly infrastructure
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Three trees can cool entire neighbourhoods by rejecting moisture in the air and by shading asphalted surfaces like parking lots, sidewalks and streets.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• A large specimen tree can increase the value of a property by 10%.
  

  
  
  Social and community benefits of trees

  
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Encourages outdoor activities.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Provide shade and shelter while reducing the stress of urban environments.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Provide protection against solar ultraviolet radiation.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Helps to absorb high noises sound frequencies.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Gives us a sense of belonging somewhere.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Encourages outdoor classroom.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Inspires creativity and spirituality.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Provide beautiful neighbourhoods where people can take walks, or cycle, planting trees encourage local sense of community and properties.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• cause traffic to slow down.
  

  
  
   

  
  


• Helps to heal. Patients in hospitals recover more quickly from their surgery and require less medication when their hospital rooms are overlooking trees.
  
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Tags: summer heat, proverb, dead leaves, pharaohs, carbon monoxide, microorganisms, soil erosion, mayans, environmental benefits, distant relatives, groundwater