When Grandpa first arrived here 25 years ago, there was just rough grazing ground and willow, blackthorn, hawthorn, 1 holly tree, and 1 oak tree, and some wonderful areas of wet woodland. Now there's all this TOO...THAT's what I call environmental growth! Bear with me while I log and post all of it...there's lots!
And while you're looking...here are ten heart-popping things about trees, from the Permaculture Design Course manual, adapated from an article by Steve Nix (thanks, guys...)
1 Trees produce oxygen. A mature tree produces enough oxygen in a season for ten people for a year. Wow.
2 Trees clean the soil. They can absorb and store, or clean up, pollutants from farms, streams, animals and sewage. For free.
3 Trees control noise pollution: They can abate noise from transport routes almost as well as stone walls. That's a good thing.
4 Trees slow storm water run off: Trees can dramatically reduce the speed & flow of flash flooding, some able to intercept up to 1,000 gallons a year.
5 Trees are carbon sinks: By absorbing carbon dioxide in order to produce its food, a tree locks carbon into its trunk, leaves and roots. This effectively stores carbon as wood, rather than a gas that contributes to climate change. Brilliant!
6 Trees clean the air: Trees absorb carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide, and reduce heat through their respiration. Amazing, really.
7 Trees shade and cool:Trees cool inhabited areas, such as city "heat islands" reducing need for air conditioning; and reduce wind, reducing heating need.
8 Trees act as windbreaks:Trees can reduce wind impact, so helping with fuel bills; and can reduce wind soil erosion.
9 Trees fight soil erosion: Tree roots bind soil; and their leaves both add organic matter to soil, and reduce the drying erosion of wind and sun.
10 Trees pump up water and minerals: Trees heave up water and minerals through their rootsto their leaves, and then deposit them on the top soil in the autumn, for use by animals and soil. The perfect cycle.
1 Trees produce oxygen. A mature tree produces enough oxygen in a season for ten people for a year. Wow.
2 Trees clean the soil. They can absorb and store, or clean up, pollutants from farms, streams, animals and sewage. For free.
3 Trees control noise pollution: They can abate noise from transport routes almost as well as stone walls. That's a good thing.
4 Trees slow storm water run off: Trees can dramatically reduce the speed & flow of flash flooding, some able to intercept up to 1,000 gallons a year.
5 Trees are carbon sinks: By absorbing carbon dioxide in order to produce its food, a tree locks carbon into its trunk, leaves and roots. This effectively stores carbon as wood, rather than a gas that contributes to climate change. Brilliant!
6 Trees clean the air: Trees absorb carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide, and reduce heat through their respiration. Amazing, really.
7 Trees shade and cool:Trees cool inhabited areas, such as city "heat islands" reducing need for air conditioning; and reduce wind, reducing heating need.
8 Trees act as windbreaks:Trees can reduce wind impact, so helping with fuel bills; and can reduce wind soil erosion.
9 Trees fight soil erosion: Tree roots bind soil; and their leaves both add organic matter to soil, and reduce the drying erosion of wind and sun.
10 Trees pump up water and minerals: Trees heave up water and minerals through their rootsto their leaves, and then deposit them on the top soil in the autumn, for use by animals and soil. The perfect cycle.
