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FACTS AND FIGURES ON TREES
 
Why do we plant trees?
Trees provide shade and shelter plants and reduce evaporation of water from soil by the sun
Trees can create a pleasant and beautiful environment

Trees help to conserve energy
Trees help to reduce air pollution
Trees protect the soil and water
Trees can create wildlife habitats 
Trees are necessary for wind reduction and control
The roots of trees help bind the soil and reduce soil erosion
Trees grown to produce timber for future use such as furniture, building material, poles and paper
Any tree will make its small contribution to remove some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce oxygen, although some contribute more than others.
 
Trees save fossil fuel

We can use trees in clever ways to reduce our electricity consumption.

Most trees provide shade that can help us stay cool in the hot summer months and reduce our need for air conditioners and protect us from the rays of the sun.
Trees and shrubs can provide shelter from cold winds. By planting an effective windbreak one can save electricity and fuel for heating. Select and place trees with care near buildings to avoid cold winter shadow.
Wood can be used for heating instead of coal or electricity. Firewood is a natural fuel. We can save on coal and electricity costs if we use firewood for heating.
Use wooden floors in buildings or build with wood. Concrete, cement, tiles, stone and corrugated iron are cold in winter whereas wood is an insulator that provides warmth. Although it is a good idea to build with wood, there is a limited supply in South Africa
Use wood fuel economically (don’t waste) – Wood fuel is a cheaper source of energy but don’t waste it. It is precious.
Protect our forests and trees from fire - When trees and grass burn, they release back into the air all the CO² that was initially taken from the atmosphere. That effectively cancels any benefit they had for removing the carbon dioxide in the first place. Trees are also easily killed by fire, which means that we lose the longer term benefit they have for removing carbon from the air.
 
The importance of forests and woodlands

Forests and woodlands play a key role in maintaining the environment. Forests and woodlands are crucial to the protection and conservation of the soil, and in water cycling. They also help modulate water flows and reduce sedimentation in streams and reservoirs. South Africa’s forests and woodlands contribute significantly to our country’s remarkable range of fauna and flora. Many national parks and eco-tourism ventures use forests and woodlands, e.g. the Kruger National Park is a woodland area.

Loss of forests may lead to more soil erosion and loss of plants, animals and small life forms that need to live in a forest environment. Commercial and natural forests also provide valuable products that we are dependent upon, like timber, paper and medicinal plants. Loss of forests will mean that we will have less of these resources to build our homes, print our books and newspapers, make furniture or have firewood to keep us warm or cook our food.

Trees also help to maintain a favourable climate. Trees consume the carbon dioxide that is responsible for climate change. In return trees produce oxygen. So trees help to clean the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide produced by trees can stay locked up in the wood for many years, depending on how long the tree remains alive and depending on what happens to the wood after the tree dies.
 
What wood product is used most abundantly worldwide?

60% of all wood harvested from forests and trees are used for fuel. That means that fuel or bio-energy is the most important forest product worldwide. In South Africa more than 9 million people are dependent on firewood for daily domestic use.

 
Discourage people from destroying living trees

So many people don’t seem to realise the importance and value of trees. One often witnesses that an entire area is cleared of all trees before a new development starts. Sometimes precious trees are simply chopped down because people want to use the space for something else. People sometimes don’t cut down a tree but they do things that will ultimately cause the death of a tree. For example, excavations of deep trenches close to the tree, dumping of debris or chemicals around the stem, or damage of the tree’s bark are all actions that compromise the health of a tree. In many cases there are alternatives. We need to value trees and should consider first what other options we have before destroying them.

You can make a difference by speaking out in disapproval. Make sure that local authorities put measures in place to prevent the loss of valuable trees and communicate the message that trees are important. Do your bit to preserve our environment.

 
 
 
Related References
  Trees of the Year 2001 - 2020
  Arbor Week