What Trees Do

Reference 1). “The Global Forest”, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, 2010

Reference 2). “The Legacy”, Dr. David Suzuki, 2010

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Dr. Roy Strang, wrote in the Peace Arch News, August 2, 2012, about the many positive qualities of trees, especially in urban areas and how this is, “another strong argument for powerful tree preservation bylaws…”, comments that he directed at our community planners and officials.

“The Global Forest,” 2010, by Diane Beredford-Kroeger, (Botanist, Medical Biochemist, expert on medicinal, environmental and nutritional properties of trees), describes the properties and purpose of trees, and why we value them… Trees breathe, communicate, reproduce, filter pollution from the air, provide habitat for wildlife, flora and fauna, provide aesthetic value and beauty on the planet, absorb CO2 (greenhouse gas) and release life-sustaining oxygen (50% comes from trees and 50% comes from ocean plankton), provide shelter and provide a variety of food, such as fruit and nuts, as well as medicines. Trees connect elements of nature and we are connected to trees – we are one. Trees provide wind and erosion control, soil stability, assist in controlling the movement of water and in purifying groundwater. Trees provide branches for children’s swings, tree houses or for children to climb.

Trees have vital environmental functions as well as special and specific medicinal and nutritional properties, all of which help to sustain life locally as well as generally on planet Earth. Trees promote health, counteract pollution and global warming and amplify biodiversity, in the face of climate change. When grown as sustainable crops trees provide wood and paper (however, note that we could also make paper from other plants like hemp or bamboo instead, thus protecting trees). As an orchard, trees provide food.

Trees multiply bird populations, provide mineral recycling and build soil. Trees moderate climate locally (eg: provide shade) as well as globally. Trees benefit farmers by attracting insects and fixing nitrogen. Trees and forests are home to microbes, fungi, insects, birds, mammals and plants. Some tree fungi are used in cancer treatments.

Trees and forests create healthy ecosystems where as removal of trees and forests creates environmental pollution of lands and drinking water; plants and animals and people’s bodies are affected. Removing trees leads to droughts and leads to greater salination of oceans with more evaporation and less C02 absorbed and less 02 given off.

A tree is a child’s friend. A child knows that a tree has a life and children have an innate understanding of trees; there is a connection between them. A child sees cutting down trees as madness for it is senseless and negatively impacts all other forest life forms as well as our own. When we remove trees we rob children of their imagination and their future on this planet, all of which we have an obligation to protect and preserve. (see also the movie, “The Lorax”, 2012; the book “The Lorax”, by Dr. Seuss, 1971.)

In developed urban areas trees improve people’s health and well-being – physically and psychologically. Trees and forests provide stable, peaceful, meditative and spiritual places; they are healing.

Functioning global forests are the lungs of the planet, keeping the air rich in 02 and low in C02; a balance needed for life. Trees flourish in a “community of trees” (a forest). Trees communicate with other trees as well as the animals, birds, insects and other species that interact with trees. For the benefit of birds and insects, plants and trees reflect light and provide airways for lift. They are mutually dependent in nature and it all works for everyone’s benefit. There is interdependence and synchronicity in nature that benefits all! It is a complex web of life. The small is equal to the large. Everything has a purpose and there is balance. Trees and nature are one. But so far, except for First Nation’s people, humanity is separate from nature. (see also the movie, “Avatar”, 2009)

Trees have numerous survival mechanisms, for example, seeds with special devices to protect them from cold or predators until the time is right for germination. Big mature trees and native trees are the best adapted and have evolved many tools to help protect the tree and help it to be healthy and regenerate. This alone is good reason to preserve and protect these mature native trees.

Many trees, like walnuts, can be grown for the food they produce, that is, as crop trees, and on farms they also help increase yields of other food crops by attracting pollinators like bees.

There are special trees that are also sacred. These trees are our teachers if we are open, as in meditation. There is, for example, the “Oak”, (Britain), the “Fig” (India – under which the Buddha sat), and the “Sequoia”, or Redwood, (Western U.S.A.). The ‘Wafer’ Ash is medicinal and is sacred to First Nations. Seeing trees as sacred and special leads to a culture of respect for trees, plants and nature. Trees will then be forever treasured.

Hedgerows are a linear forest with a variety of trees, flora and fauna, fungi, mosses and insects. There is BIODIVERSITY in such a forest. A linear forest helps to create sustainable farming. Hedgerows are necessary for good crop production. However some non-sustainable farming removes such hedgerows in favor of mono-crops and then use non-sustainable practices like pesticides and chemical fertilizers  which get in the water, negatively affecting the health of oceans, fish and people. With a 

natural balance of all the intricate interactions between plants, soil, air, water, insects and animals, BIODIVERSITY, creates healthy life. Tampering with all or part of this system (eg: tree / forest removal or “GMO” foods) can lead to disease or death – later or sooner.

Mother Earth, some plants and animals produce sounds that we generally cannot hear, that are infrasonic sound waves of low-frequency. The Earth, trees, elephants, whales, bees and some birds can communicate with infra-sound. Some people hear infra-sound in a forest and can experience emotions, tightness of the chest and even tears, (as when listening to music). Each species often produce their own specific sounds, (like a fingerprint), due to their size, shape, etc, and this is most notable during a wind. Children and some adults can hear this low-frequency sound. When a tree is cut down this causes a strangling, deep choking emotion in the hearer, described by elders of First Nations as, “the weeping of the trees”. There may be telepathic communication between trees.

The plants that live longest, that is, trees, often have the greatest treasury of medicine. First Nations discovered medicinal trees and collected and shared the knowledge. 50% of all medicines for animals and people come from plants. A Corylus species provides an anti-cancer drug. Trees can also release aerosols of medicine in the forest that are antibiotic, fungicidal or anti-carcinogens. White Pine smoke is healing and wood in the home provides medicinal functions (off-gasing). Trees have fragrances and tall trees effectively disperse their fragrances, for example, pine tree odour is medicinal as well as stimulating; and even relaxing.

Global forests control global warming: In the distant past as the amount of 02 increased in the earth’s air, life became possible, biodiversity began and plants and animals evolved. The sun’s energy and the atmosphere heat the earth. However in the last 200 years carbon reserves (eg: oil) are being burned, putting C02  into the air, and since forests are reduced, less C02 is being absorbed. As the C02 in the atmosphere builds up, the atmosphere heats up, leading to global warming. There is still time to fix this (see BIOPLAN, planting of trees….).

The leaves of trees, especially in forests, can attract the “particulates” of air pollution, (eg: diesel fuel), and filter the air. A healthy tree with a wide canopy near a house will reduce particulate pollution. Urban forests do this for cities. Global forests do this for Mother Earth. (This ends notes from, The Global Forest, 2010.)

It has been found, in today’s urban housing market, that trees increase the market value of urban homes by 5% to 20% (this according to the City of Surrey).

To briefly summarize from, “The Legacy”, Dr. David Suzuki, 2010: “Trees and plants remove C02 from and add 02 to the atmosphere (photosynthesis). Taking H20 from the soil and energy from the sun they create carbon-based life. Life depends on them. We depend on trees and plants. In addition, trees moderate temperatures and weather, provide habitations and inhibit erosion. We need to place the highest value on them. We are interdependent with nature – we are one!”

We need to understand nature, our place in the environment and how we are connected. When we understand the purpose of trees we will value them. Education is key!

Dr. Suzuki, in order to be more emphatic and recognizing our downhill environmental slide caused by the destruction of trees and forests by economic developers who ignore the value of trees to the ecosystem, in his frustration, quotes writer, John Fowles, 2004, “It is not Christ who is crucified now, it is the tree itself, and on the bitter gallows of human greed and stupidity. Only suicidal morons, in a world already choking with death would destroy the best natural (life-sustaining) air conditioner creation affords”.

We need to wake up! “We have to see the world through new eyes, because how we view the world, (along with our values and beliefs), affects the way we treat it”, (Dr. Suzuki, 2010).