A core sample of a tree is a fascinating work of natural art that articulates not only the life of the tree, but the life of the environment we both share. We read in a tree’s rings about its encounters with drought or disease, as well as learn of its years of plenty. We can mark the health of our human civilization against the health of the forests that wind through even our urban settings.
Healthy happy trees contribute more than oxygen to our ecosystems. Perhaps most importantly in the hot and humid South, through shade and evaporation from their leaves, trees act as natural air conditioners. Trees also provide habitats and food for a diversity of wildlife. They participate in carbon sequestration, preventing the escape of carbon into the atmosphere. And they help to control soil erosion and act as filtration systems for our watersheds.
Every tree matters.
© 2013 Grateful Trees & Bees
