At our nature class this week, we learned about the many benefits we get from trees.
Trees and soil play very important ecological roles. When leaves and needles fall, they decay to become organic matter in the soil. Organic matter acts like a sponge, absorbing water and releasing it slowly, providing water for tree and plant growth and reducing flooding, erosion, and muddy streams. Organic matter also stores and releases nutrients that are then sucked up by plant and tree roots. These nutrients are essential in keeping forests healthy.
Trees also act as air filters. They take carbon dioxide from the air, sunlight, and water. They create their own food in a process called photosynthesis. From photosynthesis we get oxygen and water. In fact, one forested acre releases 2,140 pounds of oxygen for us to breathe and one large tree can release several hundred gallons of water through its leaves in a process known as evapotranspiration.
Trees also provide us with many recreational opportunities, like climbing, forts, camping in forests or just laying under a shady tree thinking about life.
Trees provide food, fuel and jobs for many people. We use trees to make many, many products for everyday use.
The kids in the class were asked to take ten minutes and look through the nature center and write down all the different uses of wood. Of course, paper and furniture was on the top of every kid’s list. Some of them noticed the floors, the mulch in the critter habitats, and toilet paper. One child even thought of rubber, from rubber trees, which led to a discussion on all the products that are made with rubber.
You can see many of the thousands of products that we make from trees at this site.
After the discussion, we came to Cade’s favorite part of the nature classes; the hike. We went out and found a tree stump which Christen used as an example to show the kids how you could read a tree’s history through it’s rings and scars.

She is so good at pulling discussion out of these kids, no matter how obscure a comment they make. For instance, Cade commented that some trees had bark that was like chain mail and others had bark that was like smooth metal, and it was all used for protection of the tree. And Christen just went right along with his analysis, even embellishing a bit herself. I love that about her. She is so wonderful with these curious kids.

Here, she is showing them how the rings have a light and a dark side to them, which shows the growing and dormant stages of a year in it’s life. She pointed out that you could tell if it was a year with plenty of rain or maybe one of drought by the width of the ring.

In this picture she is pointing out some scarring that the tree suffered, probably from a fire.

Christen also showed us this resource protection area that the park planted with over a hundred trees a few years ago. These trees will act as protection for the nearby lake and will filter pollutants that come from storm run-off. Run-off picks up and carries oil from the roads, soil from construction areas, fertilizers and pesticides from farms and yards and waste from animals and trash. The new trees will act as a buffer along the shore and hopefully, stop the shore from eroding.

You can see some of the erosion in this picture.
Whenever we go out on a hike, you never know what else you’ll find along the way. And someone pointed out this little empty cocoon attached to one of the trees. Look below her hand.

Isn’t it’s perfection amazing? I wish my camera could do it justice.

I haven’t heard any news yet, about the County’s proposal to end programs like this one. I still have my fingers crossed that they will realize their value and keep them going.
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