An adage says “when the last tree is cut, the last man dies”, this is to tell you the correlation between humans and trees. According to the Bible too, we can see that after the creation of man, God placed man in the Garden of Eden where all sorts of the tree grew from the ground, this is to further acknowledge the fact that trees are paramount to humans.
There are a whole lot of similarities that exist between trees and humans, some of which include
- Symbiotic relationship: Trees and humans have an interdependent relationship, as humans breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide while trees breathe in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
- Uniqueness: Every human and every tree have a distinctive feature with no two having the same morphological or physical characteristics. Variation occurs both in trees and humans, trees vary in, morphological characteristics; size, height, and volume likewise humans.
- Dependence on water: Live trees contain about 50% water composition, likewise water constitutes about 60% of the human body. Water is very essential for both trees and humans to survive.
The roles trees play in human life cannot be underrated as they are vital to the ecosystem. The benefits of trees to humans include; absorption of carbon dioxide, production of oxygen, Soil filtration, Improvement of air quality (filtration of air to provide clean air), stabilization of the ground against erosion, Climate amelioration, and Water conservation.
In summer, leaves absorb solar radiation to keep the temperature cool, and trees serve as a windbreak to control wind direction and speed and protect us from precipitation such as rain, sleet, and hail. Trees maintain low levels of carbon dioxide and thereby lower the air temperature and reduce the intensity of the greenhouse effect, they provide aesthetic appeal, make the environment beautiful, and serve as shade for humans.
With the increase in the world’s population, the number of trees needed to support humans is decreasing. Currently, there are not enough trees to provide their benefits to humans. Whenever we hear about deforestation or the destruction of trees, we should be aware that we are being deprived of these benefits. Trees take a long period to grow and regenerate, We, therefore, need to protect and save our trees, and spread awareness. One of the major steps of protecting our trees is to encourage and increase tree planting, reduce and stop the cutting of trees, and protect trees from fires that can destroy them.
Written by: Grace Alo
