Greenburgh Nature Center presents TREES: HEROES OF OUR PLANET

What is a tree? - A tree must be perennial - A tree must have a self-supporting trunk - A tree trunk must be made of woody material - A tree usually grows to a height of 5 to 7 meters A young tree that has not yet reached adult height is called a sapling.

Did you know? –Trees are the largest of all plants. –The tallest trees grow higher than 30- story buildings. –Many trees also live longer than other plants. Some live for hundreds or even thousands of years. They are amongst the oldest known living things.

In temperate climates, trees add a growth ring each year. What can the growth rings tell us?

Tree rings also tell us how much precipitation fell each year in the place where the tree lives. Scientists study the sizes of tree rings. The different sizes of the rings tell us about changes in temperature and precipitation over hundreds of years. This was a good year.

Did You Know? Almost 1/3 of the United States is covered by forests!

What would our lives be like without trees in them?

In just one year, the average American consumes enough wood and paper to make up a tree 100 feet tall and 16 inches in diameter! (That’s 43 cubic feet of wood and 681 pounds of paper per American per year!) Did You Know? 2 Americans 3 Americans 4 Americans 1 American 308,529,000 Americans

dye oxygen piano keys rayon – books fishing lures – inks telephone books varnish –atlases and maps price tags – ping pong balls tires – umbrella handles – signs automobile instrument panels space craft reentry shields – newspaper photographic film – newspapers – posters football helmets – toilet seats – guitars road building materials – insulation shatterproof glass – artificial vanilla flavoring cork – vacuum cleaner bags – movies – stadium seats adhesives – decorations – turpentine – camphor – waxes Just a few products we get from trees. fireworks – crayons – tannin – charcoal – pine oil – pitch musical instruments – perches for birds of prey – toilet paper milk cartons – flooring – bark for landscaping – cardboard grocery bags – furniture – chewing gum – paper towels oil spill control agents – Christmas trees – hockey sticks wildlife habitat – cosmetics – roofs – baby foods – cider – vitamins cooking utensils – photographic paper – lacquer – pallets – rubber gloves mulch – clean water – golf tees – egg cartons – nail polish – fence posts – toys toothpaste – eyeglass frames – syrup – antacids – shampoo – rubber gloves menthol – electrical outlets – medicines – energy for electricity – plates and bowls – sausage casings – torula yeast – rulers – wooden blocks – houses – notebook paper – oars – plywood – paper plates – computer casings – stain remover – coffee filters – toothpicks – movie tickets – carpet and upholstery backsides – imitation bacon – diapers – horse corrals postcards – tax forms – sponges – shade – particle board – shoe polish – luggage – bowling alley lanes – postage stamps – colognes – animal bedding – irrigation piping – fruit pie filling – golf balls – game boards – suspending agent for drinking soda – pencils – dry wall – baby cribs – baseball bats – lumber – decoys – kites magazines – ice cream thickener – step ladders – birthday cards – broom sticks – cider – ceiling tiles – crutches – backyard play sets – axe handle – food labels – walnuts – candy wrappers – scenery – party invitations – disinfectants – cd inserts – gummed tape – fruit – railroad ties – shelter belts – puzzles – swings – baking cups – buttons – cutting boards – benches – bird houses – stereo speakers garden stakes – stairways – beds – tables – barrels – window frames

The bristlecone pine is the oldest living tree -- one specimen is 4,600 years old, found in the United States! Did You Know?

TREES Help Fight GLOBAL WARMING PHOTOSYNTHESIS in the leaf converts global warming CARBON DIOXIDE into OXYGEN and retains the CARBON in the plant.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Give us shade & wind protection Provide us with recreation Provide us with food (nuts, fruits), oils, wood, sap Make homes for wildlife Enrich soil with decaying leaves, etc. Control erosion Produce O 2 Absorb CO 2 TREES

Did You Know? "The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.“ —U.S. Department of Agriculture

"There are about 60-to 200- million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs.“ —National Wildlife Federation

"In one study, 83% of realtors believe that mature trees have a "strong or moderate impact" on the salability of homes listed for under $150,000; on homes over $250,000, this perception increases to 98%.“ —Arbor National Mortgage & American Forests

"One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.“ —U.S. Department of Agriculture

"The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.“ —USDA Forest Service

Development, Runoff and Trees

"In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension." —Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University

Trees around your home can increase its value up to 15% or more. The trees you plant remove CO2 from the air, produce oxygen and give songbirds a home. Trees provide many other benefits. A WINDBREAK can lower heating bills 10-20% NUT TREES can be Incorporated into windbreaks or serve as shade trees A BACKYARD ORCHARD lets you grow your own fruit SHADE TREES planted east and west of your home can cut cooling costs 15-35% STREET TREES shade the pavement and help cool the entire neighborhood FLOWERING TREES also produce food for wildlife

Even in death, a tree provides food and home to many organisms and with help eventually returns to the earth as nutrients for the next generation of plants. Now that’s recycling! Salamander PillbugsMite Slug Centipede AntsEarthworm Milipede

Trees do so much for us. They are truly Heroes of our Planet. Have you hugged a tree today.