Did you know that trees can live for thousands of years?
Here are 10 fun facts about trees:
1. The world’s tallest known living tree measured 115.92 m (380.3 ft). It is a redwood discovered in California in 2006.
2. Trees produce oxygen that we need to breathe. In one year, an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.
3. Trees help to clean the air by absorbing pollutants like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
4. Trees also help to combat climate change by storing carbon dioxide in their leaves, branches and trunk – this is known as ‘carbon sequestration’.
5. Trees provide homes and shelter for many animals including birds, insects and small mammals. Some animals even rely on trees for food – such as koalas who eat eucalyptus leaves and squirrels who eat acorns from oak trees.
6. Trees play an important role in preventing soil erosion – their roots hold onto soils while their canopy slows down water runoff during heavy rains or storms. This helps to protect against flooding too!
7. Trees give us shade from the sun on hot days and can help reduce energy costs by cooling our homes and businesses through what’s called the ‘urban heat island effect’.
8. In some cultures, trees are considered sacred – they are seen as symbols of life, strength and fertility.
9. Trees can live for a very long time! The oldest recorded tree was a 9,550 year old spruce in Sweden.
10. Every part of the tree can be used – from the wood to make furniture or houses, to the leaves which can be used as mulch or compost.
