Trees are Terrific

Earth Day Thoughts from Ms. Helen, Youth & Family Director

Unity of Gainesville youth received flowering seeds to plant in their Easter deliveries. Plant them, and like the flowers, you can bloom where you are planted. Enjoy this article about trees as a part of your Earth Care awareness.

Trees are Terrific – By Carol Malnor

Consider planting one this month.

They help us breathe—Forests pump out the oxygen we need to live and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale. Just one adult leafy tree can produce as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year.
They’re more than just trees—Forests teem with life around the planet: Bugs and worms work nutrients into soil, bees and birds spread pollen and seeds, and keystone species like wolves and big cats keep hungry herbivores in check.
People live there, too—Some 300 million people live in forests worldwide, including an estimated 60 million indigenous people. Many millions more live along or near forest fringes, but even just a scattering of urban trees can raise property values and lower crime.
They keep Earth cool—Trees absorb CO2 that fuels global warming. Plants always need some CO2 for photosynthesis, but Earth’s air is now so thick with extra emissions that forests fight global warming just by breathing. CO2 is stored in wood, leaves and soil, often for centuries.
They make it rain—Large forests can influence regional weather patterns and even create their own microclimates. The Amazon, for example, generates atmospheric conditions that not only promote regular rainfall there and in nearby farmland, but potentially as far away as the Great Plains of North America.
They clean up dirty soil—In addition to holding soil in place, forests may also clean out certain pollutants. Trees can either sequester the toxins away or degrade them to be less dangerous.
They feed us—Not only do trees provide fruits, nuts, seeds and sap, but they also enable a cornucopia near the forest floor, from edible mushrooms, berries and beetles to larger game like deer, turkeys, rabbits and fish.
They help us explore and relax—Exposure to forests has been shown to boost creativity, suppress ADHD, speed up recovery, and encourage meditation and mindfulness. It may even help us live longer.

Earth Day Thoughts from Ms. Helen, Youth & Family Director

Unity of Gainesville youth received flowering seeds to plant in their Easter deliveries. Plant them, and like the flowers, you can bloom where you are planted. Enjoy this article about trees as a part of your Earth Care awareness.

Trees are Terrific – By Carol Malnor

Consider planting one this month.

They help us breathe—Forests pump out the oxygen we need to live and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale. Just one adult leafy tree can produce as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year.

They’re more than just trees—Forests teem with life around the planet: Bugs and worms work nutrients into soil, bees and birds spread pollen and seeds, and keystone species like wolves and big cats keep hungry herbivores in check.

People live there, too—Some 300 million people live in forests worldwide, including an estimated 60 million indigenous people. Many millions more live along or near forest fringes, but even just a scattering of urban trees can raise property values and lower crime.

They keep Earth cool—Trees absorb CO2 that fuels global warming. Plants always need some CO2 for photosynthesis, but Earth’s air is now so thick with extra emissions that forests fight global warming just by breathing. CO2 is stored in wood, leaves and soil, often for centuries.

They clean up dirty soil—In addition to holding soil in place, forests may also clean out certain pollutants. Trees can either sequester the toxins away or degrade them to be less dangerous.

They feed us—Not only do trees provide fruits, nuts, seeds and sap, but they also enable a cornucopia near the forest floor, from edible mushrooms, berries and beetles to larger game like deer, turkeys, rabbits and fish.

They help us explore and relax—Exposure to forests has been shown to boost creativity, suppress ADHD, speed up recovery, and encourage meditation and mindfulness. It may even help us live longer.

Enjoy The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein https://youtu.be/XFQZfeHq9wo