What benefits do trees bring?
The UK’s ecosystem is under attack from a number of angles, including spiralling pollution, the effects of climate change and a decline in many species of wildlife. Not only that, trees themselves are also having to withstand bacterial, fungal and pest-related threats.
But all is not lost, because our trees are a natural habitat in which not only insects and animals but also humans and the planet at large can thrive. That’s why, as responsible tree surgeons, we approach all projects ethically and aim at all times to do what’s best for both the trees and our clients.
We appreciate the value of trees because they’re the keystone holding everything together and without them we’re lost. We understand their contribution and the need to preserve them for future generations, so we act as stewards of the existing tree stock rather than focusing purely on speed and profit.
The benefits of trees include:
Promoting biodiversity
Worryingly, more than half of our woodland wildlife species are in decline, with woodland butterflies experiencing a drop of 47% in the 32 years between 1990 and 2022. Not only that, moths, birds, bats, dormice and even fungi rely on forests, woods and hedges to survive and thrive, while brown long-eared bats benefit from roosting and hunting when surrounded by healthy woodland.
Improving health and wellbeing
It’s not just the country’s wildlife that benefits from trees and woodlands as they also play a significant role in promoting our own healthy lifestyles. Whether it’s physical or mental health, or both, spending time surrounded by trees improves our mood and helps us appreciate the simpler things in life. Exploring a wood can stimulate creative play in children and can allow periods of quiet contemplation in adults, while a walk through the autumn leaves can free the mind and be great fun. Trees also provide shelter, maintain levels of oxygen, filter pollutants from the atmosphere and have even been shown to improve human beings’ immunity from illness through the release of phytoncides into the air. Incorporating trees into urban environments is essential to promote the health and wellbeing of residents, whatever their age.
Slowing climate change
As climate change gathers pace, the humble tree can play a central role in attempting to slow it down. It’s well known that trees are able to remove carbon from the atmosphere, but they can also absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and then lock it up for hundreds of years, a process known as sequestering. The bulk of the carbon extracted is stored in a tree’s leaves which then fall and mulch, transferring the carbon to the soil. Their extensive root system also enables trees to reduce the amount of water entering watercourses and they therefore become a valuable form of natural flood defence. Rivers lined with trees – or at least that have them nearby – are also less likely to burst their banks.
Shelford Tree Service are tree surgeons in Cambridge and the surrounding areas, and we specialise in managing woodland areas for our clients.
To discuss what you can do to improve biodiversity on your land and how we can help, please call us on 01763 208361, send us an email or complete our enquiry form.