Trees in the Environment
 
We have entered an era where our environment and the effect we are having upon it actually matters, people in general have actually started to care. There is a realisation that our actions have a consequence on ourselves and generations to follow.
 
As an individual you may think there is little you can do, this is perhaps understandable when you look at the policies and actions of our so called leaders. We should not forget that if, as individuals, we do nothing then the total of our achievements will be nothing. If we can make a positive contribution to our environment, no matter how small, we can collectively achieve something far greater. Realising what we have and how it contributes is often just down to a lack of information and education.
 
 
The Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Conversion Factory
 
When we looked at tree basics we learned how a tree takes in CO2 and releases Oxygen (O2) as part of photosynthesis. It has been estimated that for each unit of tree weight an equivalent weight of CO2 has been absorbed from the atmosphere and the same weight of O2 has been released back into the atmosphere. So we see that a tree weighing 3 ton will have absorbed 3 ton of CO2 from the atmosphere and released 3 ton of O2 back into the atmosphere.
 
In financial terms over 50 years of a trees life it has been estimated that the value of CO2 removal would be £30 000 and O2 released £15,000.
 
The Water Treatment Works
 
We have also seen that a tree needs water. It absorbs water through its roots which will eventually be transpired through its leaves back into the atmosphere. During this process it filters out pollutants so the water released back into the atmosphere is clean. Again if we had to quantify this financially it has been given a value of £15 000 over 50 years.
 
Whilst I believe that the environmental impact of the above is enough to make people aware of the worth of trees, some people are still not convinced until it is put into monetary terms. So, for those people, we can see that a tree with a 50 year cycle could be worth £1 000 per year before we even consider their amenity value!
 
It is also important to remember that at the end of its life a tree can be decommissioned with its parts being recycled into everything from chippings to timber for our homes. For all our technological advancements can we produce a processing plant that can compete with a tree?
 
Physical & Amenity Value
 
What would our landscape and life be like without trees? Because they are simply always ‘there’ we take them for granted, forgetting how much they contribute. Without thinking about it trees:
 
  • Enhance our property (by doing so adding to the financial value of our assets)
  • Provide shelter from wind and weather
  • Provide screening and seclusion
  • Absorb noise from roads, towns, etc
  • Sculpture our landscape
  • Prevent erosion
 
The list could go on and on, even without considering the value of trees in a commercial sense. We must remember to open our eyes to what trees give us and promote there use.
 
 
Bio-diverse Mini Ecosystem
 
Each tree or group of trees will develop their own unique ecosystem. This can include many things from fungi and insects through to birds and bats. For many of these the tree is an integral and essential part of their existence - we must be mindful of interfering with this. Trees within the domestic environment should and must be treated with safety in mind but we must think twice before interfering and be able to justify our actions especially if the driving factor is our own personal preference.