Rhiwbina Living

They help our mental
health
It's likely that a walk through a forest
of trees will make you feel better - and
there's a scientific reason for that.
Trees emit phytoncides to ward off
potential threats. When we inhale these,
it reduces our cortisol levels (the stress
hormone) and boosts our immune
system. This helps us deal with stress in
calmer and more productive ways.
They help stop
flooding
Many of our mature trees consume
vast quantities of water, which
comes in handy for low-lying areas
that are prone to heavy downpours
or persistent rain.
A single mature oak is able to
transpire more than 40,000 gallons
of water in a year—meaning, that's
how much flows from its roots to
its leaves, which release water as
vapour back into the air.
Trees can grow very old
The oldest individual tree in the world is thought to be in the United States,
where a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California's White Mountains has
been aged at more than 5,000 years old.
Trees can live anywhere from less than 100 years to more than a few
thousand years depending on the species. Ancient trees, meaning that
they have passed maturity and entered the third and final stage of their
lifespan, are a vital part of the UK environment.
Trees are good for
the soil
Soil is essential to life on earth.
Some species of trees provide
habitat for bacteria and fungi
in their root structure. These
organisms perform nitrogen
fixation, which is a significant
factor in soil fertility.
Trees also recycle important
nutrients by drawing them up
from the deeper layers of the
ground and bringing them up to
the surface. The decomposition
of leaf and plant litter also form
soil organic matter.
Tree canopies can also trap
varying amounts of nutrients
from the atmosphere, a source
of free fertilizer which is washed
from the leaves to the soil by the
rain.
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