How Are Trees Important?

​Trees are everywhere. They're around landscapes, businesses, homes, on the side of highways, and in the forest. Trees are beautiful, and they can do so many things. Trees are essential for our life, they have been on earth for generations, and they have helped us advance in life drastically. 

What Can Trees Do? 

Trees are essential to humans primarily because of the well-known fact that they are involved in the exchange between carbon dioxide and oxygen. Trees have also helped us make advancements in our everyday lives. The bark from trees is used to make tables, flooring, statues, utensils, and much more. Trees can also provide shade for you and your home.
Not only that, but trees are an integral part of the environment. Trees can absorbs a large amount of carbon, carbon emissions, particles, and other gases in its lifetime. A single tree is able to absorb around 1 ton of carbon over its entire life. They can also absorb a massive amount of water per year and reduce erosion in some cases.  Besides helping you and the environment, trees also can help wildlife. They can provide animals with food and shelter.

Trees Over Time 

Trees have always been important and they have been here longer than most would think. Trees date back to around 400 million years ago. During that time, plants with vascular systems were found. Vascular systems are important because it is what makes the formation of trunks and branches possible. It also allows them to grow vertically.
Later on, in time seeded plants started to show up. After that trees were found to have truly wood-like stems and gymnosperms started to appear. The first pine tree and ginkgo trees were founded around 200-150 million years ago. Later on, around 67 million years ago evidence of the first maple trees was found. As time went on the different types of trees and plants began to expand in all different types of ways.

Random Facts About Trees

• The study of tree's rings and how old they are is called dendrochronology 
• The largest tree in the world is called the General Sherman Tree. It measures 1787 cubic meters which are around 52,508 cubic feet. ​
• Trees are some of the longest living organisms. Some trees are older than 4,000 years! ​