“When you save the life of a tree, you only pay your debt as we all owe our lives to the trees!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan
Global studies have determined that forests cover about 31% of Earth’s total land surface, which is just over 4 billion hectares (for comparison, one hectare = 2.47 acres of land).
While the beauty of the world’s forests is something appreciated by millions for their sheer grandeur, their natural benefits seem endless not only to the planet, but to wildlife and humans alike.
Sadly, we tend to take forests for granted. We fail to understand how incredibly indispensable they are, or how dramatically our lives would change if forests simply disappeared from our every day existence.
Here are five reasons you may not have be aware of which make forests so important to our lives.
- They combat flooding
Tree roots actually slow the flow of water (especially in low-lying areas like river plains) by helping the ground absorb more of the waters caused by flash floods, which helps prevent soil loss.
- They keep dirt in its place
A forests complex root system helps stabilize vast amounts of soil from erosion by wind or water, preventing both landslides and dust storms.
- They muffle noise
Trees make a popular noise barrier. Their ability to block noise is largely due to a tree’s rustling leaves, but also their audial and natural inhabitants like birds and squirrels. A few well-placed trees can cut background noise by 5 to 10 decibels (50% as heard by the human ear).
- They can heal us
Many of us already know a walk in the forest can provide stress relief and even strengthen our immune system. But forests also provide us with many natural medications. The asthma drug theophylline comes from cacao trees, while a compound in eastern red cedar needles fights drug-resistant bacteria.
- They refill aquifers
While trees absorb a great deal of runoff water, like a sponge they can’t absorb it all. Water which flows beyond a trees root system often replenishes groundwater supplies important for drinking, sanitation and irrigation worldwide.
If you need one more reason to revere and protect our forests, a single mature, leafy tree is estimated to produce a day’s supply of oxygen for anywhere between two and 10 people. That will certainly help you breathe easy.
For more information on protecting the trees on your property, visit SavATree today.
