Why Trees Matter

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We need trees to breathe

As humans, we breathe in oxygen and we breathe out CO2. A lot of the other things we do also release CO2 – driving cars, cooking a meal, heating our homes. Luckily for us, trees and plants do the opposite – they breathe in CO2 and breathe out oxygen. Without trees there

would be no oxygen for us to breathe.

We need trees for water

When it rains, trees help to keep water in the soil so that it can be used by them and other plants. Without trees the water runs off and causes flooding, taking the fertile soil with it. This is followed by drought so nothing will grow. Find out how people in Kenya are planting trees to improve their water supply. bit.ly/2o8bdT6

By taking part in the Fruit-full Communities Project you will be doing an amazing thing – planting trees. Why is that such a good thing to do? Quite simply because we all depend on trees in every aspect of our lives and the more

we plant, the better it will be for all of us.

So, what do trees do for us? They provide us

with all of the essential things in life.

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We need trees for food

Much of our food comes directly from trees: apples, pears, oranges and many other fruits and nuts. Both chocolate and coffee come from beans that grow on trees. Other food comes from plants and animals that are all part of complex ecosystems that need trees to function properly. Without trees we would certainly starve.

We need trees to keep the planet cool

Deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels have led to an increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which is making the planet hotter. Scientists believe that this is resulting in more extreme weather conditions and the polar ice caps are melting at an incredible rate. We can make a difference by planting more trees and stopping deforestation because the trees will absorb CO2 and slow down global warming.

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We need trees for wildlife

Trees provide homes for a huge variety of wildlife across the globe. Squirrels and birds will be familiar to everyone, but virtually all living creatures depend on a tree in some way. The habitats of some animals are at great risk of being lost as a result of deforestation. As forests are cut down to make room for the production of palm oil, for example, Orangutans are being confined to smaller and smaller areas. Find out what the World Wildlife Fund is doing to protect forests for wildlife wwf.to/2nuQfv5

We need trees for medicines

A quarter of all the ingredients in our medicines come from rainforest plants. Even aspirin was first discovered in the bark of the willow tree. Many trees and plants may contain substances that would be useful as medicines that we haven’t discovered yet, so we need to keep as many different trees as we can to make sure these will be available for us in the future.

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We need trees for shelter and warmth

We need wood from trees to build homes and provide us with shelter. Find out how Simon Dale used trees to create a Hobbit House. www.simondale.net/hobbit.htm

We also use wood and fossil fuels (which were made from trees years ago) to cook and provide warmth in our homes. We need to find new ways to do this if we want to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Take action!Find out more about Fruit-full Communities Project and how to take part www.fruitfullcommunities.org

Woodland Trust Tree of the Year – vote for the tree you think should win - bit.ly/1fme0jw

Find out if there are any groups in your area who are looking after trees. This one is in Sheffield www.savesheffieldtrees.org.uk

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This activity will get you thinking about the importance of trees in our everyday lives. You can do it on your own or with a group.

You will need: Set of photos printed double-sided so that the information is on the back.

Do you need a tree for that?

See overleaf for instructions

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Hungry squirrel Hungry polar bear Listening to music

Living in a riverside flat

Having a coffee

Furniture

Sleeping

Eating an apple

Cooking by gas

Reading a book

Taking medication

Working in an office

Eating chocolate

Cooking on a fire

Farming

Squirrel by Robin Riat http://bit.ly/2gcfLFk

Reflections of a polar bear by Smudge 9000 http://bit.ly/2fVtflJ

Music on the Go by Garry Knight http://bit.ly/2eBGMRA

More sleeping by magdalena http://bit.ly/2fRk19o

Thames Path by Garry Knight http://bit.ly/2fUn2bP

Young Man Reading by Garry Knight http://bit.ly/2fCgTh7

Chocolate Truffles by Alex http://bit.ly/2fuih80

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What is so special about trees? Why should we care about them?

p Place photos in a pile

p Pick a photo and decide if you need a tree for that or not

p When all the cards have been allocated have a look at the ‘Need a tree’ pile and look on the back of the card to check if you are right

p Then continue with the ‘Don’t need a tree’ pile, and look on the back to check if you are right

p In fact, all the scenarios need a tree!

p See if you can come up with a scenario that doesn’t need a tree - you may find it hard because trees are so important for well-being, wildlife, food, CO2, global warming, fuel, medicines and so on.

• Even when asleep we still need to breathe

• We need oxygen to breathe

• Trees produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide (CO2)

• Apples are the fruits of trees

• Gas is a fossil fuel and so was formed from trees and plants

• It releases CO2 and causes global warming, so we also need trees to reduce the effect of that

• Buildings close to rivers are at risk of flooding

• This is becoming more of a problem with extreme weather due to global warming

• Trees help to reduce global warming and also absorb rainfall and so reduce the risk of flooding.

• Coffee is made from coffee beans which are the seeds of a tree

• Most furniture is made from wood, at least in part

• Paper is made from trees, unless it is recycled from other products

• A quarter of all the ingredients in our medicines come from rainforest plants that could not exist without trees.

• Wood for the desk and to make any paper that is used

• Electricity for the computer is usually generated with fossil fuels

• Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which are the seeds of a tree

• Eats nuts and seeds from trees

• Eats fish, but with global warming food supplies are reduced. Needs trees to help prevent global warming.

• Need electricity to charge the player.

• Most of our electricity comes from burning of fossil fuels: coal and gas

• These fuels were made from trees and other plants thousands of years ago

• Need wood for the fire. This can become a major problem for people in African countries if they have to walk a long way to get firewood as a result of deforestation

• Trees maintain the fertility of the soil

• They prevent erosion of the soil

• They help to ensure rainfall levels are maintained

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Mareike by eflon http://bit.ly/2fR55bu

Flat White by Giulia Mule http://bit.ly/2f12UDv

Grilled Cheese by Beej Jorgensen http://bit.ly/2fCvQ2S

Medicine by Cookie M http://bit.ly/2gcI7PX

Cooking with gas by gregonlemeyer http://bit.ly/2f18fL8

Forest Bench by Istvan http://bit.ly/2mc73Wz

Maza Wanawake Kwanza Growers Association by IIP Photo Archive

http://bit.ly/2fT7mS70021 by Mohit Gupta http://bit.ly/2fRHZ4v