Good Reasons To Plant Trees Compiled By Ajit S.

Burangey DEDICATED TO PARENTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

(Year-2011)
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INTRODUCTION Dear friends, In this world of exploitation let us make a small difference in global way. Let us plant as many trees as possible to avoid global warming and flooding of the coastal and low lying areas. So why wait and without delaying start planting trees and conserve existing trees and forests.

So here are some good and the best reasons to act now. 1. Trees produce oxygen: We learn in school that trees are the lungs of the world, how through the process of photosynthesis they produce oxygen. Well a single garden tree will over an average 50-year lifetime, generate almost Rs.23,25,000/- worth of oxygen and will replenish the atmosphere with enough good 02 to support two human beings for a year. 2. Trees act as Carbon sinks: Another Part of the process of photosynthesis is the intake of CO2 to make food. So trees
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remove excess Co2 from the atmosphere but we dont need a forest in the backyard to make a contribution. A single garden tree over an average 50-year lifetime or the equivalent of a fast-growing forest tree in a community garden or park, can potentially absorb up to 48 pounds of CO2 over a single year; approximately ten tons per acre of urban wooded park that is enough to offset the CO2 output produced by driving a car 33796 kilometres. The equatorial circumference of the earth is 40075km. So planting some trees does offset the footprint of the road trip of your life.
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3. Trees clean atmospheric pollution: Tree foliage remove airborne particulates, from dust to soot and pollen, thus cleaning the physical content of air but further, trees absorb along with carbon dioxide during photosynthesis other atmospheric gases, many are the by-products of exhaust fumes and industrial processes. Amongst the atmospheric pollutants that trees absorb are carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. It is estimated that a single garden tree, over an average 50year lifetime, can remove in excess of Rs.460,80,000/- worth of air pollution control. Different trees perform differently - If you live on a busy road just think that a
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single Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) will remove in a single growing season 5200mg lead, 60mg cadmium, 140mg chromium and 820mg nickel from the environment. While our native Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) is one of the best trees at removing harmful particulates from the atmosphere. Poor air quality and in particular particulate content is linked to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological side effects and an increase in chemical sensitivity and allergies. 4. Trees are efficient sound barriers: A tall wall or fence often invites negative reactions from neighbours and
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commercially constructed sound barriers alongside new motorways attract the same objection from residents : restriction of views, ugly feeling of confinement, loss of sunlight and lighting, loss of air circulation, etc. Well nature as usual has the solution, barring biophobia, trees and tall shrubs supply more effective boundaries, socially and aesthetically. But do they really work? Some argue that all trees do is introduce a distraction from background noise via rustling foliage and bird song etc that psychologically redirects the brains perception so that it appears the noise has been reduced. Well nothing wrong with that! Others, like
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myself who work in the field are first hand witnesses to how foliage and branch surfaces physically muffle noise. Sound travels, by its very nature, but nature in the form of trees, by its nature can provide absorption and reflection. A hedgerow, if it is high enough and dense enough will suppress traffic noise. Similarly a stand of trees with thick undergrowth will decrease noise levels. It is estimated that 30 meters of dense vegetation can reduce noise by five decibels. Its a matter of scale. A single tree will play its part with bird song and rustling, a hedgerow or stand will physically dampen.
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5. Trees make effective windbreaks: Again here it is scale, a single tree will block and filter/slow wind and wind speed to a degree, a stand or hedgerow increases performance. A shelterbelt can account for up to a 50-percent wind reduction, translating economically as up to a 25percent reduction in heating consumption. Trees or other living windbreaks will reduce wind speeds for a distance of 30 times the height of the windbreak on the downwind side. The other advantage of living screens is that any wind barrier that permits a percentage of wind penetration is more effective than a solid barrier such
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as a wall of fence because the let through provides a larger area of protection on the leeward side. 6. Trees aid energy conservation: The windbreak action and sheltered microclimate of a single 7.5 meter tree has the potential to reduce a typical home's heating demand by a minimum of 5 percent and for buildings that require airconditioning in summer, that tree will reduce cooling costs by a similar amount. 7. Trees prevent soil erosion: The roots of trees retain soil, and the trees themselves act as a physical barrier to wind erosion of
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soil. Trees too lessen erosion by water run off and storm waters. Cities without trees would need to increase sewage and storm water drains to handle the increased water runoff. Trees prevent sedimentation spilling on to streets and into water courses. 8. Trees for wildlife: The importance of trees to attracting and sustaining wildlife especially the feathered kind is well known. The physical structure of trees provide a habitat for nesting, cover and perching, but trees also provide food via associated insects and via their seeds and fruiting as food production. Birch and
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Willow attract many species of birds while Alders notably draw goldfinches. The acorns from Oaks feed wood pigeons and jays. Not to forget the berries from Rowan trees are often a Red Cross parcel to birds over the later seasons. 9. Trees increase property values: A property with a healthy and proportioned tree, offering aesthetic kerbside appeal and providing, shade, wind shelter etc. is valued higher than property without. Both real estate agents and home buyers assign monetary value to the presence of trees to the extent that mature garden trees can add between 10 and 25 percent of the
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value of a residence. 10. Trees promote business: Urban and street planted trees enhance economic stability of localities and community by attracting businesses and tourists. People are known to linger and shop longer along tree-lined streets. Businesses leasing office spaces in developments planted with trees find that kerbside appeal works to woo new clients and those tree lines developments will have higher occupancy rates than treeless industrial parks. Trees have a psychological impact on human motivation and sense of wellbeing and so employers in such developments find their
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workers are more productive and that absenteeism is reduced. 11. The Spinal tap effect: YES this goes all the way to 11: because significantly that single maturing or mature tree will recycle almost Rs.28,80,000/- worth of water over its lifespan. It can be watered with grey water from the home, filtering out chemicals and pollutants in the process. It will similarly cleanse rainfall, run off rainwater and flood waters that otherwise would enter the water table less filtered, leaving reservoirs and water table supplies cleaner. More trees planted could translate into less processing of tap water
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and less contaminated groundwater. The knock-on effect to health in a boosted confidence in drinking water sources would be immense. Remember that water stored in the spinal column supports 75 percent of the body weight with the remaining 25 percent supported by the fibrous material around the disks and all the time hydration is key And you will want a healthy back now that you have read this article and decided to put it into planting a tree next weekend. Your health, your pocket and the planet will thank you! 12. Trees reduce driver rage and incidents
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of speeding. Trees that form a canopy or are planted along a street often create the appearance of a narrowing roadway, which promotes a reduction in speed subconsciously in drivers. 13. Trees have been found to have a soothing effect along traffic congested roadways. The shades of the trees lined along the roadway gives a cooling effect and also soothes the eyes. 14. Studies show that consumers are willing to pay more for products purchased in a shopping district with trees. Those same shoppers say they are willing
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to stay longer and rate the products and stores as being of a higher quality in a shopping district with trees. 15. Trees save money on heating and cooling costs. As trees keep the surrounding environment cool with its shade during summers it takes less cooling effort for the Air conditioner to cool and similarly during the cold season traps the heat in the area thus taking less energy to heat the place. 16. Trees signal the passing of seasons and time. Trees are natural indicators of the seasons and psychologically effect the
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animals and humans equally. Virtually every living organism follow the indications given by the trees in some way or the other. Humans interpret seasons from the different colours and flowering of the trees. This has psychological effect on the humans. Animals look at trees for land marks for their territory, look for food and shelter in the shed. Birds similarly feed on the fruits in different seasons, as different trees has different seasons for flowering and fruiting. Birds build nests on the trees and different species utilise different part of the tree for shelter. Insects harbour themselves on the trees which themselves are food for variety of birds.
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17. Lastly and the most importantly trees and plants are known to be good source of medicine. Many trees such as neem supply us with rich sources of alkanoids and flavonoides. These help in treating diseases. Many shrubs and herbs are well known to us for their flavours and medicinal properties and for thousands of years have been used by mankind to treat different diseases. So all the best and happy tree planting.
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Here is a small glossary of terms to help you to understand something about the trees and plants.
Glossary of Tree Terms acid pH - acidity or alkalinity ranging from 3 (strongly acid) to 11 (strongly alkaline) with 7 being neutral. alkaline pH - acidity or alkalinity ranging from 3 (strongly acid) to 11 (strongly alkaline) with 7 being neutral. alleopathy The suppression of growth of one plant species by another due to the release of toxic substances. alternate Leaves that are staggered, not placed directly across from each other on the twig. anthracnose A group of fungi that cause dieback and sometimes death to various species, such as dogwoods, sycamores, oaks, and maples. blade The flat part of a leaf or leaflet, characteristic of broadleaf trees. bract A modified leaf that bears a flower. broadleaf 21

A tree with leaves that are flat and thin, and generally shed annually. bud scar the marks remaining after bud scales drop in the spring. clingstone any of various stone fruits (as some peaches or plums) with flesh that adheres strongly to the pit. compound leaf a leaf with more than one blade. All blades are attached to a single leafstem. Where the leafstem attaches to the twig, there is a bud. conifer A cone-bearing tree. cross-pollination fertilization between genetically compatible trees for better fruit, often resulting in superior offspring. crown The head of foliage of a tree or shrub -- this is the form or shape of the tree. deciduous Shedding all leaves annually. entire A leaf margin with smooth, untoothed edges. evergreen Trees with needles or leaves that remain alive and on the tree through the winter and into the next growing season. exfoliate peeling in shreds or thin layers, as bark from a tree. 22

freestone A fruit stone to which the flesh does not cling. habit The general mode of plant growth. Used to describe the overall shape of a tree. hardiness zone A plant can be expected to grow in the zone's temperature extremes, as determined by the lowest annual temperature. Other conditions such as moisture, soil, and wind might affect the availability of individual plants. knees The tree trunk in wet conditions exhibits a broad buttress with protrusions from the roots. leaf scar The mark left on the twig where the leaf was previously attached. lobes Projections that shape a leaf. margin The edge of a leaf. midrib The primary rib or central vein of a leaf. native Inherent and original to a geographic area. opposite Two or three leaves that are directly across from each other on the same twig. palmate Blades or lobes or veins of the leaf arranged like fingers on the palm of a hand. persistent Deciduous leaf blades that remain on the tree for more than a year. 23

petiole The leafstalk that connects the blade(s) to the twig. phytoremediation The use of trees to take up chemicals, binding some of the material in an inert form with the tree, and converting some of it to other substances, possibly even breaking it down into the normal end product of a tree's chemical processes. pinnate Blades of lobes or veins of the leaf arranged like vanes of a feather. pistil The seed-bearing organ of the flower. The pistil consists of an ovary, stigma, and style when present. pollination To transfer pollen from the anther of a stamen to the stigma of a pistil, resulting in fertilization. This can occur either on a single plant (self-pollination) or between different plants. Insect pollination and wind pollination are two examples of natural pollination. reforestation The planting of forested land that has been lost due to fire, logging, drought, pests, or disease to restore beauty to the landscape, provide food and habitat for wildlife, and for recreational activities. riparian zone an area of ecological transition between the aquatic zone and the upland zone. rootstock The root upon which the scion is grafted. samara Winged fruit. scion 24

The part of the tree that is grafted or budded to rootstock. self-fertile / self-pollinating Fertile by means of its own pollen; this makes it theoretically possible for both pollen and ovules to unite and produce fruit without a second tree being present. simple leaf A single leaf blade with a bud at the base of the leafstem. sinus Indentation between lobes on a leaf. specimen tree A tree placed so people can gain the greatest enjoyment for the color, texture, scent, or other pleasures it provides. spurs Stubby, often sharp twigs. teeth Notches on the outer edge of a leaf. triploid Having three sets of chromosomes rather than the usual two. As a result, the pollen is sterile. xeriscape Saving water while maintaining trees and other plants in the landscape.

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Love Nature so that you can pamper yourself. Conserve the natural surroundings and secure your future.

WITH MANY THANKS TO PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO COULD UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE. AJIT S. BURANGEY ajsv.burangey@gmail.com

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