Earth Day and reasons you should plant a tree
Its common knowledge that trees create oxygen by absorbing carbon dioxide, which also cleans the air. But that remains about the only thing that trees are commonly known for and it's a shame considering how many functions they really serve.
Trees are responsible for creating a pretty small percentage of the world's air, as most of it is actually created by marine plants. However, one tree can produce nearly 260 pounds of oxygen in a year.
Trees create homes for many species of animals across the planet. Orangutans, for example, live most of their lives in trees and are the largest arboreal species on the planet. They also get most of their food from the trees.
Other animals, insects and other life forms all find refuge in the trees. In the Redwood forest of the Pacific Northwest, there are trees so grand that they have entire ecosystems on their branches.
These are some of the oldest trees in North America, and the only ancient forest left on our continent. There are species of amphibians that live in the lower layers of the tree branches, likely never realizing they are not on the forest floor layer but rather in a micro-ecosystem high above the ground.
Trees are also masters of controlling erosion. One of the best things one can do to help with erosion problems is to plant trees. Every time a large area of trees is decimated, the immediate result is usually erosion. There was a fire in Raton in 2011 that took out a large tree population and resulted in mudslides hitting the roads. The Dog Head Fire in 2016 in the Chilili area also resulted in massive erosion issues because of the loss of trees.
Trees also lower the temperature wherever they grow by evaporating water in their leaves. In places like the desert, a lack of trees can really make a difference. In urban areas without trees, they are about 9 degrees hotter than urban areas with lots of trees. In June, in New Mexico, 9 degrees can make a huge difference.
Trees can also improve water quality by slowing and filtering rainwater, which can serve to protect aquifers, watersheds, ponds, lakes and rivers.
In addition to all that trees can do for the environment, they are also the largest source of food for the entire planet. The Arbor Day Foundation estimated that about 80 percent of the food the world consumes comes from trees. In addition to creating food for humans and animals, these same plants also provide a food source for insects, specifically the pollinating insects.
The National Cancer Institute identified 3,000 plants that are active against cancer cells; 70 percent of these plants are found in the rain forest. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients in today’s cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rain forest, like Periwinkle and the Yew tree.
Trees can also protect buildings. They have been used as windbreaks quite successfully all over the world. If trees are planted on a perimeter of a building they will slow down the wind speed and protect the structure.
What happens to the plants and trees affects every species on the planet, including humans. What happens to the water affects the entire planet. What happens to the pollinators affects the entire planet. The undeniable connectedness of all living things on Earth is why humans need to become stewards for the environment.
Simply planting a tree makes a difference. If a human lives an average of 80 years it takes 1,840 trees to mitigate their carbon footprint. There are 29,200 days in 80 years' time. If each person plants one tree every day for 5 years, the job is done. In reality we all have the time to plant way more than that.
In New Mexico, there is more than one way for people to get access to inexpensive trees for planting. In the Tricounty area, there are four different Soil and Water Conservation Districts: East Torrance, Cuidad, Edgewood, and Claunch- Pinto.
East Torrance Soil and Water District puts out a newsletter to the Torrance County area in the spring and fall so that landowners can purchase indigenous trees. Certain towns in Torrance county get the newsletter automatically but anyone in the East Mountain area who is interested can call and request it. For more information call 505-384-2272 ext. 5 or visit easttorranceswcd.org.
Claunch-pinto Soil and Water Conservation District—which serves Mountainair, Abó, Claunch, Corona, Manzano and Punta de Agua—does not have any tree planting programs but they do have hazardous fuel and defensible space fire preparedness programs. For more information call 505-847-2243 ext 5 or visit claunchpinto.org.
The Edgewood SWCD normally has a tree sale in the spring and fall so that landowners can purchase indigenous trees. This year drought conditions cancelled the spring sale. Sales are subject to changes based on prices, availability and climate conditions. For more information call 505-832-1111 or visit eswcd.org.
Cuidad SWCD doesn't currently have any active tree programs. They did have a pilot program this year that is awaiting approval from the city and county. It was a program set up in the style of a master gardening class with a focus on trees with the goal of creating tree stewards who could help support the county by doing volunteer tree work. They also have a cost-share thinning programs for homeowners to create defensible space for fire season. For more information call 505-510-3478 or visit ciudadswcd.org.
This Earth Day, why not start a new tradition, and start planting trees?