TREE CANADA - LEARNING MODULES
Tree Canada provides us with a number of resources to help us understand the economic and environmental value of trees.
In partnership with Tree Canada, we invite you to explore the trees that grow in Canada -- what they look like, where they grow and why they are important to us!
WHAT IS A TREE?
Although most people are sure they can recognize them, a tree is defined as a woody, perennial plant that grows to a height of at least 4.5 metres.
CONIFERS VS. DECIDUOUS
All trees in Canada can be distringuised as being a conifer or deciduous tree.
Conifers are often called evergreens or needle-leaved trees (although there are always exceptions). Conifers are also known as soft woods.
Deciduous trees are often called broadleaf trees because most shed their leaves in the autumn. Deciduous trees are also known as hard woods.
WHAT TREES DO FOR US:
- They purify the air we breathe, acting as "the lungs of the earth";
- They help reduce the effects of global warming by "filtering" carbon dioxide emissions;
- They improve the aesthetics of urban areas, vacant lands and recreational sites;
- They protect farms and watersheds against wind damage and soil erosion;
- They create and enhance wildlife habitats;
- They conserve energy by reducing heating and cooling costs in residential areas.
BENEFITS OF URBAN TREES:
- Today, the most important aspect of the urban forest is clearly energy conservation and carbon dioxide absorption.
- Studies show that hospital patients with window view of trees recovered significantly faster and with fewer complications than comparable patients without access to such views.
- Windbreak of trees have been found to reduce residential heating costs 10-15%
- Trees intercept rainfall and reduce run-off, thereby functioning like retention/detention basins.
- The psychological impact of trees on people’s moods, emotions and enjoyment of their surroundings may in fact be one of the greatest benefits urban forests provide.
- Properly located and managed, trees can reduce the demand for fossil energy through effects such as shading buildings to reduce air conditioning demand, breaking winter winds to lower space heating needs, preventing soil erosion to lower the amount of fertilizer needs and fossil fuel that would be needed to produce necessary foods and fibre from higher acreages of degraded soils, manipulating snow drifts to reduce winter snow ploughing costs and automobile accidents, and sheltering livestock in both winter and summer to reduce stress and improve feed efficiency.
- Trees and shrubs are effective insulation against noise.
- Urban trees reduce CO2 by directly removing carbon.
- Urban trees reduce CO2 by reducing energy needs (for cooling and heating by planting around buildings).
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TREES:
- Each healthy tree can reduce air borne dust particles by as much as 7,000 particles per litre of air, thus a healthy tree is a free standing air conditioner and purifier.
- You need about 500 full-sized trees to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by a typical car driven 20,000 km/year.
FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION AND THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Fossil fuel consumption puts CO2 into the atmosphere from reserves held within the earth.
CO2 production from heating the average Canadian home is:
- by oil -- 7 tons/year
- by natural gas - 5 tons/year
- by electricity - 1.3 tons/year
- by wood - 0 tons/year
CO2 production from running your vehicle results in:
- economy car - 20,000 km (gas) - 6 tons
- heavy truck - 20,000 km (diesel) - 26 tons
Trees can help reduce the greenhouse effect in two ways:
- Trees directly absorb CO2 (the primary greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
- Shade from trees can reduce air conditioning and energy use, which reduces the amount of CO2 emitted by power plants.
On a carbon basis alone, urban trees provide greater benefits than rural trees because they reduce carbon emission by reducing energy consumption.
Researchers estimate than an urban tree can save 5 to 10 times more overall carbon than a rural tree!
GROW CLEAN AIR CALCULATOR
Wood is 50% carbon, all of which comes from the air!
Calculate how much carbon dioxide is produced by common emission sources and how many trees you need to plant (or help us plant) to offset those emissions.
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