The Plant A Tree Pledge by The Wooden Gem
Plant a tree you say? Well, with wood being my material of choice for producing handmade products. It is vital that I am conscious of looking after the environment as a result. This is why here at The Wooden Gem I have decided to plant a tree for every order made by my customers! So, The Plant a Tree Pledge is my little way of helping to give back to our planet!
Why Plant A Tree?
Well, read on people! These are just a few of the astonishing facts that helped to cement my decision to plant a tree in return for customer patronage. Every order processed will equate to a tree planted within the UK!
There Are 422 Times As Many Trees On Earth As people
There are over 3 trillion trees on Earth equating to 422 times as many as there are people. This sounds pretty astonishing. However, it seems impossible to consider that since the dawn of agriculture the total number of trees on Earth has fallen by 46%. Shocking right!
Trees are disappearing from our planet at an alarming rate. Around 15 billion trees are lost each year due to deforestation and changes in land use. This fact alone has driven me to help make a difference. If I can plant a tree for every order made through my business, it is sure to make a difference. All be it small, but I guess we all need to play our part!
A new movement is underway to preserve existing forest ecosystems and restore lost trees. This is great news when you consider that adding just one tree to an open pasture can increase its biodiversity from almost zero species to as high as 80.
Trees have their own special way of communicating
Trees can ‘talk’ to each other, and share nutrients. They manage this through an incredible underground system created by soil fungi.
Older, larger trees can be connected to hundreds of younger trees. They can then pass on nutrients, water and any unused carbon through the Funghi network to support smaller seedlings. This in turn can boost tree seedling survival by as much as 40%.
It is alarming to think that the felling of one ‘mother tree’ can have such an impact on the survival of its surrounding seedlings. Another reason for us all to work together in helping to plant a tree today and protect our planet and our home!
Some tree species are biologically immortal!
The earth is an impressive 4.5 billion years old. Larger plants followed about 420 million years ago, but it took tens of millions more years for trees to evolve.
Trees have a remarkable ability to delay and minimize the effects of ageing by replacing the parts they lose. They can even build on their own dead tissue. In fact, the trunk of a very old tree might be near the end of its life, yet it keeps on growing!
A bristlecone pine tree in California, known as Methuselah, has been alive for almost five thousand years!. In addition, there is a 3,600-year-old cypress tree in Chile and a sacred fig tree in Sri Lanka that is believed to have been planted in the third century B.C!
These facts go to show that with the correct environment and protection our magnificent trees can withstand the tests of time. So, it should be our absolute duty to protect them and all that they offer to us and our planet.
Some trees don’t have a growth ceiling
I find the staggering part of a tree can be their sheer height. It inspires such awe and grandeur! A redwood species called the Hyperion, standing Redwood National Park, California is now an impressive 116 metres tall. This particular coastal redwood is one species that has no actual growth ceiling.
Trees help each other to ward off harmful pests
Certain tree species can release airborne chemical signals to other trees. This is to warn them about incoming threats such as insects and tree pests. Their closest tree neighbours then produce tannins. Making their leaves taste bitter to any approaching predators. Likewise, trees can attract predators or parasites that can kill an invading pest. Clever hey!
Trees have a ‘nationality’
More than half of all tree species exist only in a single country. Equating to a whopping 58%. Many tree species naturally occur only within the borders of a single nation. Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia hold the highest totals for native tree species.
There are currently around 60,000 species of trees in the world. A whopping 300 of these species are now critically endangered. Each with less than 50 individual trees in the wild.
Knowing that many species are only found in one country gives us another big reason to protect them. Individual species are more vulnerable to potential threats now than ever before. Threats such as deforestation from extreme weather or human activity are now deemed as the main causes.
Trees release chemicals that can make us happier
It’s been proven that simply looking at trees can make us feel happier, reduce stress and even improve creativity. Trees release chemicals called phytoncides. Research has shown that when we breathe them in, it can help to reduce blood pressure, lower anxiety and even increase pain threshold.
Originating in Japan, forest bathing known as Shinrin-yoku is becoming hugely popular. This is a practice that involves doing mindful walks in forests, to soak up the relaxing environment. Doing something as simple as immersing yourself in the calming atmosphere of a forest can have major benefits on your mental health.
Plant A Tree with The Wooden Gem, Today!
With all this incredible information at our fingertips, it is hard not to feel the urge to help out in some way. The Wooden Gem Plant A Tree Pledge does just that!
Have a browse of our wooden products today at www.thewoodengem.com
The Wooden Gem will plant a tree as a thank you for supporting my small business. Together we can help to make a difference!
Prestige Award Winner 2022
The Wooden Gem Limited
Wooden Product Specialist of The Year!
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