Let’s Get Thinking About the Trees

Gardening season is winding down, time to think about the trees. I do a lot of this, of course not just during the winter but all year long. Trees, however, become especially prominent in my thoughts during the colder months because, well, they’re one of the few things I can still see despite the snow.

In the next few months, I’ll be doing some planning, thinking, reorganizing, and trying to get more people interested in one of the greatest natural forms of architecture on the planet.

A Few Facts

1. The oldest living tree is over 4,800 years old and lives in the White Mountains of California. The tree’s exact location is a well-kept secret to protect it from the public.

2. The world’s tallest tree is a coast redwood. Standing at 115.5m, it comes pretty close to 130m – what scientists believe is the maximum height a tree can reach.

3. A single tree can sequester 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. To put this into perspective, the average person exhales about 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide per day (about 840 pounds per year).

4. The average American produces about 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. If trees were the only living thing to sequester carbon, each person would need 250 trees to break even.

5. Tree planting remains one of the easiest and cheapest ways to sequester carbon.

Think about the last time you looked at a tree and said thanks. What about the last time you dug a hole and put one in the ground? Can’t remember? That’s ok, most of us can’t. But you can change that!

Start thinking about it now and I’ll be back with another few reminders over the winter season. In the meantime, take a stroll and look at the trees in your neighbourhood with a potentially newfound appreciation. And as winter sets in and the only green left is on the evergreens, keep appreciating, even if just for the colour it adds to the winter wonderland backdrop.