Trees: Nature’s most precious gift to the humanity

As the longest living species on earth, not only are trees essential for life, but they give us a link between the past, present and future.

Since the beginning, trees have furnished us with two of life’s essentials, food and oxygen. As we evolved, they provided additional necessities such as shelter, medicine, and tools. Today, their value continues to increase and more benefits of trees are being discovered as their role expands to satisfy the needs created by our modern lifestyles.

The canopies of trees act as a physical filter, trapping dust and absorbing pollutants from the air. Each individual tree removes up to 1.7 kilos every year. They also provide shade from solar radiation and reduce noise.

Over 20 species of trees and shrubs are known to have medicinal properties. The oil from birch bark, for example, has antiseptic properties.

Research shows that within minutes of being surrounded by trees and green space, your blood pressure drops, your heart rate slows and your stress levels come down.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and the carbon that they store in their wood helps slow the rate of global warming. They consume all the CO2, refresh air from toxic gases and prevent us from the air pollution.

They reduce wind speeds and cool the air as they lose moisture and reflect heat upwards from their leaves. It’s estimated that trees can reduce the temperature in a city by up to 7°C. Trees also help prevent flooding and soil erosion, absorbing thousands of litres of stormwater.

They are the real source of our health as well as wealth because they give us oxygen, cool air, fruits, spices, vegetables, medicines, water, wood, furniture, shadow, fuel to burn, houses, fodder to animals and other useful things.

Trees host complex microhabitats. When young, they offer habitation and food to amazing communities of birds, insects, lichen and fungi. When ancient, their trunks also provide the hollow cover needed by species such as bats, woodboring beetles, tawny owls and woodpeckers.

One mature oak can be home to as many as 500 different species.

Trees strengthen the distinctive character of a place and encourage local pride. Urban woodland can be used as an educational resource and to bring groups together for activities like walking and bird-watching. Trees are also invaluable for children to play in and discover their sense of adventure.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.” Trees, shrubs and turf also filter air by removing dust and absorbing other pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. After trees intercept unhealthy particles, rain washes them to the ground.

Trees are most precious gift to the humanity on the earth from nature for which we must be grateful, give honour and preserve for the mankind wellness.

We should understand the importance of trees in our lives and do our best to save trees in order to save life, save environment on the earth and make earth a green earth.

Planting trees is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to positively affect the environment. We need trees now more than ever! We should hugely involve our new generation and teach children to respect trees, nature and environment by getting them to the hikes or camping. We should promote new planting in our surroundings.

We need to understand that trees are our lifeline to cleaner air and a healthier environment. Trees are very helpful and useful friends of mankind.