APRIL 19, 2019

10 Essential Ways Trees Help Our Planet

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1. Trees provide food

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Papaya, mangoes, oranges, limes, lemons, peaches, coconuts, cashews, apples and more
come from trees. Beyond these nutritious and delicious fruits, some of our favorite spices
also come from various parts of trees including cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
Trees are also the source of almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews, too! Finally, but
certainly important, trees bring us chocolate (cocoa) and maple syrup.

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2. Trees protect the land

Trees protect the earth from soil erosion, fires, flooding, and wind. Forest Garden farmers
use trees as fences, windbreaks, and barriers. They use a living fence technique which has
proven especially useful in providing in creating a green wall to improve their soil, provide
a boundary, keep livestock out, and absorb and redirect heavy rains.

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3. Trees help us breathe

Trees produce oxygen and clean carbon dioxide out of the air we breathe. Without trees,
life could not continue. Trees have also proved to remove airborne particles from the air
and reduce smog, thereby improving the air we breathe, and therefore, our respiratory
health. The work trees do in improving the air quality is one of the most critical ways in
which we benefit from trees.

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4. Trees provide shelter and shade

On a hot day, nothing is better than the shade of an old tree with an expansive canopy.
Under a tree is often the location of Forest Garden farmer meetings and trainings. Trees
act as nature’s air conditioner and help slow water evaporation from soil. Did you know
that the evaporation from one tree can produce the cooling effect of ten room-size air
conditioners running all day!

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5. Trees are a natural playground

Where there is no playground, a tree provides a great place to climb and explore. This is
particularly exciting in a world where technology can consume people’s attention. .
Children can develop gross motor skills and learn to take risks while climbing trees. Adults
can climb for fitness and strength building. Felled trees can become balance beams and a
tall tree can provide a good hideout or lookout during play time.

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6. Trees encourage biodiversity

Many birds, animals, and insects call trees home. The various levels and canopies of trees
provide a habitat to a diverse array of wildlife from the lower levels up to the very high
canopies. Forest Garden farmers often also often use trees as a place to build hives to
bring bees to their land to assist in pollination and to collect honey. We are currently
losing species at an alarming rate so the space for biodiversity is critical as it helps keep
our planet thriving.

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7. Trees provide sustainable wood

While alternative energy is ideal, the reality is that much of the word relies on wood to
cook meals and boil water for purification. Where we work in Africa, approximately 80% of
households rely on fuelwood and charcoal. While it can be argued that growing trees for
fuel or wood competes with food production, in the Forest Garden model, the two can
coexist and complement one another. This way, farmers are not increasing deforestation
by cutting in the ancient forests. They can grow fast growing timber trees on their plot in
a sustainable way.

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8. Trees conserve water

Trees help filter and retain water in the soil. Trees not only improve water quality, they also
prevent stormwater and flooding issues that can occur. The roots break up soil to allow for
the recharge of water tables.

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9. Trees improve mental health

Being among trees has real health benefits. Studies show that even looking at trees can
calm us. The Japanese even have a word for this: Shirin-yoku, or forest bathing. Spending
time in the forest is known to reduce stress, anger, and feelings of depression. While in
English we do not have a specific word to express this experience, we do know that people
who live in more densely wooded areas, even in urban settings with tree-lined streets,
report better health than those who live in areas with sparse trees. The effects are not
simply felt, they can even be measured by slowed heartbeats, lower blood pressure, and
altered brain waves.

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10. And there is so much more!

Trees have proven to be a source of medicines, foods, and materials, improving our planet
and lives in immeasurable ways. We are constantly discovering new ways that trees can
benefit us. Research is uncovering complex and beneficial ways in which trees improve
our planet and our lives. Without trees, we have no future.

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