Tree Time

by Priscilla Brewer

We are finally beginning to understand the tremendous benefits of trees and forests.

We know that trees filter air pollutants and give us fresh clean oxygen to breath. They also store groundwater, purify our drinking water, and capture vast quantities of carbon. They keep us cool in summer, protect us from winter chills, and provide us with food, fuel, lumber, fibres, crafts and medicine. It’s almost as if we need trees to survive (WE DO!).

But trees don’t only benefit humans – they also create and nurture their own ecosystems and support vital biodiversity. Trees immensely help other plants and wildlife to flourish, they keep river habitat healthy, help protect and replenish our watersheds and aquifers, and improve soil conditions for an immeasurable number of below-ground critters.

Trees provide all these valuable services for free, 24 hours a day, without complaining. Yet they are sometimes treated as if they were unimportant objects, appreciated solely for their dollar value.

Incredibly, there has been a recent wave of research that delves deeper into the mystery of trees. New studies and compelling literature suggest that trees can communicate with each other, pass information, share nutrients with other trees and plants, and even recognize and nurture their offspring. This would imply that trees think, care, and feel pain.

Even more mysterious is the idea that trees can help humans on a spiritual level. Around the world, studies have shown that by spending time immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of a forest we can lower our stress levels, improve our memory functions, lower our blood pressure, and reduce anxiety and depression. Many countries consider ‘forest bathing’ a recognized form of health care. Hanging out in a forest can actually make us happier and healthier.

We could all use a little more tree time!
The Yellow Point Ecological Society (Y.E.S.) hopes to inspire local residents and visitors to appreciate the enormous gifts we receive from our precious forests.

Together, let’s speak out to protect what remains of our forest, so that the trees can continue to protect and nurture the complex and biodiverse ecosystem that lives beneath their branches – including us.

Please join us for our monthly Yellow Point nature hikes! Or February hike is on the 11th at 11:00am at the Yellow Point Ecological Reserve (meet at the end of Whiting Way, no dogs please). Our March hike will be at Wildwood, March 11th at 11:00. See you there!

Priscilla Brewer

Author: yellowpointecologicalsociety

We are a non-profit society. We work to understand, appreciate, protect and restore the ecosystems and watersheds in the Yellow Point area of Vancouver Island and to inspire and support local residents and visitors to do the same. View all posts by yellowpointecologicalsociety