We‘ve all heard the stereotype. Anyone who is concerned about sustainability is at some point labeled as a "tree hugger". The image is one of fanatical environmentalists who chain themselves to bulldozers just for the fun of it, eat granola 24/7, and worship even poison ivy. Of course anyone who has been around the sustainability movement for even a short time knows that these are mythical constructs perpetuated by those who would prefer to line their pockets at the expense of the long-term future of humankind. The stereotype has been so widespread that many environmentalists even try to disassociate themselves with the notion of protecting forests and other ecosystems for fear of being labeled "tree hugger".
Well, I think it’s time to reclaim the title as an honorary rather than a derogatory name. So just in case you ever wondered if maybe trees really are worth hugging consider the following attributes of these arboresque wonders.
1. Trees provide protection from the sun’s heat by their shade and moderate microclimates, helping modulate unusual weather conditions.
2. The tree’s root system helps prevent soil erosion, particularly on slopes by holding the soil in place.
3. Trees aid in the soil’s moisture retention by providing protection from the sun and by providing a constant supply of mulch.
4. Trees absorb an immense amount of CO2 due to their high volume of leaves and store the CO2 in their trunks for hundreds of years, thereby providing a natural climate control mechanism.
5. Many trees provide food for humans, animals, and insects.
6. Trees are housing for a diverse array of animal species (and kids with treehouses).
7. Trees provide a wind block, modulating severe storms and offering protection in windy areas.
8. Despite all of our modern technology wood is still one of the best structural materials on the planet, and if used wisely is fully renewable.
9. Few would deny that trees add beauty to our homes, communities, and countryside.
10. Trees provide a renewable and efficient fuel when harvested sustainably.
11. Trees are a key part of all forest ecosystems that support the interconnected web of life we all depend on for survival.
I could go on but I think I’ve made my point. Next time you get labeled a tree hugger, be proud of it and take time to explain how, without the "common" tree, we would all be finished. Try to avoid literally hugging trees though…that would just be weird.
Comments
With so much attention being
With so much attention being given to global warming I was interested to see if my maintaining 30 acres of sustainable forest made me a net contributor or reducer of co2. Its hard to get good figures as so many sources give different figures but it would seem that it takes about two acres to (directly) support our families oxygen needs and cancel our co2 emissions, BUT that does not take into account co2 generated to produce our consumer goods, hydro, processed food etc etc. I suspect that even as a very modest user of these things I need to add another 2 acres for that, but that still leaves 26 acres to help out the rest of you. Burning wood for fuel has been said to be a contributor to global warming but some say that this may actually not do so, in that if left to rot the wood releases the co2 anyway. It would depend upon the source of the alternate means of heating how valid this would be, but it made me feel better about heating with wood.
As an owner of a woodlot managed under a Managed forest tax incentive plan (MFTIP) I have been aware that recent changes to the plan have downloaded much of the costs of these tax incentives (which are very modest given the method of assessing forested land) to maintain a healthy forest to the local municipality. Conservation Authority and MNR budgets seem to be at the bottom of their lists also. It seems that Queens Park does not consider encouraging landowners to keep forested areas of much value to the urban dwellers and have decided that rural municipalities should pay for the bulk of this program. Seems they have a lot to learn!
Here are some actual figures of how much trees do for us, as I said above the available figures vary considerably so don’t take this as gospel.
The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually. One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.
One acre of trees removes up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide each year. http://www.treesaregood.com/funfacts/funfacts.aspx
A large tree can absorb and convert up to 48 pounds of CO2 into oxygen annually, (this figure varies considerably, as do many of the other figures given here, depending upon the source)
Plants produce 1/2000 of the whole atmospheric oxygen each year and the same amount of oxygen is consumed by oxidation. The carbon dioxide of the atmosphere is completely exchanged within 300 years.
Carbon dioxide comes to 0.03 volume percent, i.e. 300 parts per million (ppm) of the atmosphere. This is a guideline. The carbon dioxide concentration increases continuously since the late 1950th. (It is estimated) that the carbon dioxide concentration must have been 260 ppm in pre-industrial times. The carbon dioxide content of the air increased about 8 percent between 1958 and 1982. This increase was caused by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
Photosynthesis is shut off at night and as a consequence the respiration from the soil can raise the concentration of carbon dioxide at ground level to as much as 400 ppm, while the CO2 concentration at treetop level can drop to 305 ppm at noon owing to photosynthetic uptake (A. BAUMGARTNER, 1968, according to R. MILLER and J. RUSCH, 1960).
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/e54/54d.htm
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a small, fuel-efficient Geo Metro emits 9,200 pounds of CO2 a year (based on 15,000 miles). A Ford F-150 pickup truck emits 18,500 pounds of CO2, and a Dodge Durango, one of the popular sport utility vehicles, discharges 21,100 pounds of CO2 annually.
The official World Resources Institute conversion rate that we use in our carbon calculator is 19.564 pounds of CO2 per gallon of gas.
http://www.ghgprotocol.org/templates/GHG5/layout.asp?MenuID=849
One acre of trees absorbs enough carbon dioxide per year to match that emitted by driving a car 26,000 miles.
A single large tree can release up to 400 gallons of water into the atmosphere each day.
A single, fully grown sycamore tree can transform 26 pounds of carbon dioxide into life-giving oxygen every year.
One acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people every day.
Tree foliage filters dust and and can help remove toxic pollutants from the atmosphere. The foliage captures and removes a wide range of smog-producing compounds such as ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, airborne ammonia and some sulphur dioxide. http://www.sftreecouncil.org/benefits.htm