Trees make an incredibly valuable contribution to the environment. They sequester vast amounts of carbon, provide habitat to a wide range of different animal species, and have many other benefits. Tree planting is incredibly important for supporting ecosystems and other natural processes, as well as for curbing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. However, a tree does not have to be part of a forest in order make a positive impact – just having one tree planted can be surprisingly beneficial to the immediate environment.
Trees are huge carbon sinks, with a great ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Over the course of a year, an average mature-sized tree can capture and store more than 20 kilograms of carbon, with more than one tonne of carbon dioxide being sequestered during a tree’s entire lifetime. Factors such as the size and type of tree, as well as the climate it is in, influence how much carbon is absorbed, but one tree planted in the ground still makes an important contribution. This ensures that tree planting plays a vital role towards lowering carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere.
Providing a home for nature
A single tree provides a great habitat for a huge variety of animal species. A good example of this is one of the common broadleaved tree species often found in temperate areas. A single mature-sized oak tree can harbour more than 280 different species of insects and has the potential to benefit over 500 species of caterpillar, more than 140 bird species and around 120 mammal species. Many other broadleaved tree species have similar benefits on the biosphere. As trees produce copious amounts of food, most importantly leaves, seeds and fruits, and provide an ideal animal habitat, it shows that even one tree planted in an area can make a contribution to improving its biodiversity.
Trees are beneficial to the natural environment in other ways. During each growing season, a healthy 30-metre-tall broadleaved tree has the potential to release 50,000 litres of water into the air as water vapour, which feeds back into the water cycle, promoting further rainfall. Trees are also large interceptors of rain, either through their leaf canopy or underlying leaf litter. A single mature evergreen tree can intercept up to 15,000 litres of rainfall per year. Just one tree planted strategically, particularly on sloped terrain, can play a small part in helping to prevent or reduce floods.
If you want to make a difference, no matter how small, contact DGB today or check out our subscription page! You don't need to break the bank but each tree planted is a step in the right direction toward a greener and more biodiverse world!
