Did you know?

1. On Earth there are more than 23,000 different species of trees!

2. Some African Baobab trees can store more than 25,000 gallons {in weight, approximately 100 tons} of water in their trunks. Also, some with age have become hollow and have been used as homes. Some have even been known to shelter up to 30 people!

3. Tree-planting unites communities by providing people the opportunity to work together for the benefit of the local environment.

4. One acre of trees removes 2.6 tons of CO2 per year, thus helping to reduce the “greenhouse effect” by absorbing the CO2.

5. 1 hectare of woodland grown to maturity and looked after forever would absorb the carbon emissions of 100 average family cars driven for one year.

6. Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves.

7. By cooling the air and ground around them, the shade from trees helps cool the Earth's temperature.

8. Trees are the longest living and largest living organisms on Earth.

9. In deserts, leaves absorb moisture from the dew and frost of the cool nights and then release it to cool the air during the warm days.

10. One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted a year. One tree removes about 1 ton of CO2 in its life-time. Planting 10 trees per person each year will remove each person's carbon debt for the year.

11. Birds and animals use trees for shelter and as a source of food.

12. The forests of Central Africa are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants.

13. More than 5,000 things are made from trees such as houses, furniture, pencils, utensils, fences, books, newspaper, movie tickets even clothing and toothpaste.

14. Three-quarters of the world's people rely on wood as their main source of energy.

15. An area of rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed each second.

16. Tree roots stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.

17. Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.

18. Trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.

19. The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually. One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.

20. Trees keep us breathing our air fresh by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen: they are our life source!

21. In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.

Tree Stories

Landowning Tree

One of the oldest property owners in the city of Athens, GA is a White Oak. A deed granted by Col. William H. Jackson, dating back to 1820, states that the tree own the 64 square feet of land on which it grows in addition to owning itself. The deed was granted in the Colonel’s will to protect the beloved oak. Unfortunately, the original tree blew down during a storm in 1952, but the citizens of Athens planted another, grown from one of the original tree's acorns.


Sleeping Tree

In 1927, a group left Bombay to look into rumours about a tree that lay down at night and went to sleep. As explained by in a publication in the Bombay Chronicle, the tree slowly inclined toward the earth at nightfall, until by midnight it lay completely on the ground. It then began to rise slowly and would stand upright by dawn.


Philippine Reforestation Program

In 1977, a law forcing every capable man, woman, and child over the age of 10 to plant one tree every month for five years was passed in hope to reduce the country's deforestation by planting 360 million saplings per year. Violation of this law results in the loss of a citizen's rights and a fine of up to $175. The seedlings and certificates for each tree planted are provided by the government.