I think everyone knows that massive deforestation on the planet is not good. Destruction of the Amazon rainforest is increasing, and we’ll all suffer the consequences. But we’re not much better in the UK; Only 10% of England is woodland, and for the whole of the UK woodland represents only 13% of the total land area. Fortunately there are lots of individuals planting trees and tree-planting projects around the world. Not all of them are a good idea however. Here are some of the pros and cons of planting trees.
“The Amazon rainforest is a major absorber of planet-heating carbon dioxide and its continuing loss threatens to accelerate climate-related disasters, from increasing floods and storms to prompting a rise in global temperatures.” – inews
Pros of Planting Trees
Let’s start with the basics. Why do we need to plant more trees? Planting trees is good because they…
Absorb Carbon Dioxide
One large tree can absorb 150kg of carbon dioxide a year.
Provide Oxygen
They convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Reduce Air Pollution
“The world’s forests absorb a third of global emissions every year. Particles, odors and pollutant gases such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia and sulfur dioxide settle on the leaves of a tree. Trees absorb these toxic chemicals through their stomata, or ‘pores’, effectively filtering these chemicals from the air.” – Ecosia.
Provide Habitats for Wildlife
Just one Oak tree can potentially be home to hundreds of species of insects, 30 types of bird and over 300 species of lichen.
Are a Source of Food
Not only do trees provide numerous fruits for humans to eat, they are also a vital source of food for insects, birds and loads of other wildlife.
Preserve Soil
“Roots hold the soil in place and improve the drainage of the soil. The roots prevent soil compaction and help water soak into the ground instead of flowing over its surface. Tree roots tend to grow more deeply than other plants and provide a greater resistance to erosion on hillsides than grasses and other small plants.” – Sciencing
Can Prevent Flooding
By protecting the soil and helping water soak into the ground, trees can reduce the risk of flooding by up to 20%.
Reduce Energy Usage, and Bills
“Trees can cool cities by between 2C and 8C. When planted near buildings, trees can cut air conditioning use by 30%, and, according to the UN Urban Forestry office, reduce heating energy use by a further 20-50%.” – The Guardian
Improve Mental Health and Reduce Stress
Being out in nature is known to reduce stress and improve mental health, planting trees in urban areas can have a really positive impact on someone’s general health and wellbeing.
Reduce Hospital Admissions & Deaths
“A study of the East London Green Grid (a proposed network of interlinked, multi-purpose and high quality open spaces) estimated that the establishment of 5.5% greenspace (a quarter of this provided by trees) across a single 10 km by 10 km square could avert two deaths and two hospital admissions per year.” – Trees.Org
Reduce Noise Pollution
An avenue of trees can help to muffle the sound of traffic, which is particularly useful in urban areas.
Increase Property Values
The least important benefit in my opinion, but the presence of trees in your neighbourhood can increase your property value by up to 20%.
“Trees contribute to their environment over long periods of time by providing oxygen, improving air quality, climate amelioration, conserving water, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife. During the process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe.” – Wikipedia
I think it’s fair to say that trees are good and have so many benefits. It’s no wonder that there are so many tree-planting projects around the world. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that planting trees is always good, however what is often not taken into account is where the tree-planting is taking place.
Cons of Planting Trees
In the big scheme of things there’s no denying that we need more trees. Becoming involved in planting trees by yourself or as part of a volunteer group or charity is essentially a good thing. Unfortunately there have been a few instances recently where tree-planting has caused the destruction of other, just as vital, habitats.
Destroying Valuable Habitats
Wildflower Meadow
“Dozens of saplings are to be ripped up after a Cumbrian farmer was wrongly advised to plant them in a wildflower meadow. The saplings were planted close to rare Greater Butterfly Orchids at Gateshaw Mill Farm, near Brampton, after the Woodland Trust gave the go-ahead.
Conservationist Rob Dixon, of Wild Lakeland, pointed out the blunder and the trees will now be moved. The Woodland Trust said a “mistake with data” was to blame for the error.” – BBC
In this instance, the mistake was discovered very quickly and the saplings should cause no long lasting damage. The Woodland Trust does some amazing work, and it’s disappointing that they made such an error in this case.
Lowland Acid Grassland
In another error by The Woodland Trust, an area of lowland acid grassland was planted with saplings by volunteers from the local community. Their intentions were again good, but this landscape in Cheshire has “what may well be a very unusual species-rich form of acid grassland, as it supports a large population of Lathyrus linifolius (montanus previously) commonly known as Bitter vetch.” – a New Nature Blog
Peat Bog
In this instance it’s the Forestry Commission who messed up. Rather than properly surveying land that a farmer wanted to plant trees on, he was basically just given the go-ahead. Once the land started to be ploughed it was discovered how valuable the habitat was there.
“A concerned neighbour contacted local botanists, (when the site was drained and ploughed in preparation for tree planting) who realised that the plantation was going to destroy a botanically rich mosaic of unimproved (and semi-improved) grassland, heathland, blanket bog and basin mire, with calcareous influence.
The site was not on any map, and the owner had not been aware of its value. No-one with any botanical knowledge had looked at the site – some site visits had been cancelled as the whole public consultation had taken place during lockdown.
Unofficial visits by botanists after the ploughing had begun, recorded over 100 species of plants and lower plants, including several Red Data Book species and a number of rare and threatened grassland and other habitats.” – A New Nature Blog
Plastic Tree Guards
Unfortunately planting trees seems to go hand in hand with covering the countryside in plastic. Every sapling planted is normally protected with a plastic tree guard that is, more often than not, single use. In many cases the tree guards are not removed when they’re no longer needed. There are greener alternatives available, but they tend to be more expensive and therefore not used as often. And when something is described as biodegradable you have to be a bit wary. Technically everything is biodegradable, but some things take a lot less time than others to biodegrade fully.
Should You Plant Trees?
Planting trees is a really good thing to do. We just all have to make sure we’re planting them in the right places. What should you do if you want to be involved in tree-planting projects?
Firstly make sure that the location you plan to plant trees is appropriate; i.e. Not a designated site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
Secondly contact the correct authorities to ensure the location is ok for planting. At this point it’s worth reminding you that even the Forestry Commission and The Woodland Trust have got this wrong recently. Why not ask local environmentalists and botanists for their advice? There are many people who would be willing to give up their time to ensure that rare or valuable landscapes are not inadvertently destroyed.
Thirdly, check what species would be the best to plant in your chosen location. Ideally we plant native trees, but the soil and local weather might not be ideal for certain species.
Finally, wherever possible use tree guards or protectors that are environmentally friendly. And remember to remove them when they are no longer needed for protection. If you can, reuse the guards for future tree-planting projects.
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