The Real Value of Trees

During the last few days, I’ve been listening to the roaring drone of chainsaws. To my astonishment, a newish neighbour decided that six magnificent and healthy trees needed removing. While people can choose to do what they want on their property, the main reason for removing these six trees was due to the fear of them falling and potentially causing damage.

Sometimes branches or trees do fall down, especially if they are diseased, dying or as a result of wild weather, and can make a mess when they do. It’s all part of nature’s cycles, hence they need attending to in the best and safest way possible.

Of course, the tree-clad hills of the Dandenong Ranges is a big part of why most of the community, along with myriad wildlife, choose to live here. For us humans, it not only comes with an appreciation for the natural environment but also awareness and responsibility.

To me, the benefits of observing, learning about and connecting with the trees and the environment far exceed any risks.

That said, and as aptly stated by local ecologist Darcy Duggan at the opening of the enlightening Tree Forum: The True Value of Trees, which was held in the Dandenong Ranges in mid-2018, we now have “economic refugees” moving into the area.

The problem is, they often bring an urban mentality with them.

Instead of wholeheartedly embracing the natural attributes and having a willingness to understand the true nature of trees, these “economic refugees” strip, cut down and/or remove what forms part of the very life force of the area.

They call it progress, convenience or an enhancement. Yet the removal of trees disrupts the balance of interdependent ecosystems, hence the survival of various species. In turn, it impacts our overall health and wellbeing.

But whether it’s here in the hills or in a major city on the other side of the world, the fundamental fact remains: we need trees.

We have a planet that is sacred and a climate that is changing, whereby planet Earth is heating up and is experiencing extreme weather patterns. Add to that how our population is growing and we are living for longer.

We’ve all got to eat and breathe, and preferably cleanly and in tune with the natural world.

So, what have we forgotten or not learnt about the real value of trees? And why aren’t we preserving what we’ve already got, let alone planting what is suitable, to help create a healthier transition so that all life may thrive now and for generations to come?

Aside from the fear of trees causing damage and creating fuel for bushfires, here’s what trees do provide (and it’s much more than office paper, firewood and housing materials):

A Cooling Effect

One of three compelling speakers at this year’s Tree Forum, Dr Greg Moore, a botanist who has a keen interest in arboriculture, is on the board of Sustainable Gardening Australia and is a trustee of the Trust for Nature, says that trees can lower temperatures by up to 8°C. Not only do trees block out the sun and cool the earth, the use of air conditioners (although I have never owned one) decreases, as do carbon emissions. So too does your power bill.

As trees provide shade, it’s beneficial for people, animals, buildings and various structures, even the asphalt on our roads. And with heat exposure being reduced, this means roads and footpaths don’t crack, evaporate or weather as quickly. Nor do they need upgrading as often.

So not only are trees life-enhancing, they provide tremendous economic benefits.

Improve Health, Wellbeing and Longevity

Speaking of shade and lowering temperatures, many of Melbourne’s outer western suburbs (think Melton and surrounds), which are virtually treeless, are often among the first areas to have power failures during heatwaves. Due to the dependence on air conditioners in stifling heat, the grid overloads and collapses, with people, particularly senior-aged, experiencing heat exhaustion, which leads to heatwave-related deaths. And it’s these heat-related deaths that we are seeing more and more of Australia wide.

What’s interesting is that while the devastating fires of Black Saturday killed 172 people in 2009, the heat wave surrounding it was responsible for approximately 374 deaths. In fact, in the last 118 years “heatwaves have killed more Australians than all other natural hazards combined”.

Dr Moore adds that studies have been conducted to show that people who live in treeless areas have a shorter lifespan and reduced health. On the flip side, those who live among or have regular access to trees have lower blood pressure, reduce their risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and improve their mental health.

And since people are more inclined to walk where there are trees, rather than just open grassland or on an oval, it’s also been shown to help with obesity.

Provide a Canopy

As trees provide a canopy, they can help to reduce the impacts of strong winds (act as a windbreak), especially when they are planted in appropriate places.

Attract and Absorb Rain

Trees are renowned for attracting rain, hence why you tend to see a density of them in catchment areas. Generally, it’s the tree roots that help absorb water, particularly run-off, which is also beneficial in floods. What’s more, trees prevent soil erosion.

What a lot of people don’t realise is that trees can increase the value of your property. And along with shrubs, trees provide natural borders and boundaries, which are far more aesthetic than man-made fences.

But with urban sprawl, we are losing our backyards. That means we are losing the space to roam, to be and connect. In turn, we are losing trees, hence the serious ecological ramifications that we are now seeing.

Yet outer eastern Melbourne is still often touted as leafy and green. There was a time when Victorians had number plates declaring them as being part of “the garden state”. But that is deceptive.

And with so much clearing of the state’s native forests, including those in catchment areas such as the Toolangi State Forest, there’s very little left. It defeats the purpose of what a catchment area is. What’s more, it seems Victoria is being surpassed by Queensland (given its alarming rise in tree clearing) as the most cleared state in Australia.

The Deeper Meaning behind Trees

As American writer and speaker Charles Eisenstein explains in his deeply profound essay titled Initiation into a Living Planet: “A forest is not just a collection of living trees — it is itself alive.” In other words, it is an intricate and dynamic network, with sacred forests being “potential banks of genetic diversity that must be preserved”.

Even Dame Judi Dench did a fascinating BBC documentary called My Passion for Trees. Based on those in her extensive woodland garden, historians and scientists reveal how trees naturally form a community and social network that communicates and supports one another.

Because in order for a forest to thrive, all of its members need to be healthy. So if one is struggling, ailing or young, it’s sent nutrients from other healthy trees via the wood-wide web (a hidden fungal network). Although this is typical for those of the same species, some form alliances with trees of other species. That said, some trees will sabotage others to ensure their survival.

So not only are trees more social than we thought, they are intelligent.

When it comes to mono-planting (planting one species), which is often seen in the likes of pine plantations, it’s often thought that the loss of biodiversity is not remedied by this practice. That’s because mono-planting only supports certain species, not the diverse range of flora and fauna that it once had or is needed. After all, diversity creates more resilience and makes better use of sunlight, water and nutrients.

But it isn’t just the forests, of which there are approximately 30 per cent that still cover the Earth’s surface that we need to preserve. As discussed earlier, it’s the trees we already have, as well as plant, in our backyards, along our roads, in community parks and gardens, near our railway stations and at our bus stops.

Therefore, when considering the removal of any tree, we need to ask ourselves: what is going to be the best outcome from this change occurring?

Because in the case of my newish neighbour, not only have they diminished the tree canopy, they have devalued their property.

Without a doubt, there is a need to improve processes and broader community consultation so that we all become well-informed about trees. This re-education needs to take place in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, schools, councils and governments.

Having this vital knowledge is what helps to increase the real value of trees. Because when we consider life from a tree’s perspective, we start to see the natural order to our own and everything around us.

We improve improve the quality of all life — we live more holistically.