Headline, July 24 2021/ ''' '' TREES SUPERHEROES TRUST '' '''

''' '' TREES SUPERHEROES

 TRUST '' '''

TREES SAVE LIVES. BUT WE AREN'T
SAVING TREES. Trees can cool cities down and ease electricity needs, but sadly, many, many are lost each year. The trees are supposed to stay.

Here's why : At a time when climate change is making heat waves more frequent and more severe, trees are stationary superheroes.

Research shows that heat already kills more people in the United States than hurricanes, tornadoes and other weather events, perhaps contributing to 12,000 deaths per year. Extreme heat in recent weeks in the Pacific Northwest and Canada has killed hundreds.

Trees can lower air temperature in city neighbourhoods by 10 lifesaving degrees, scientists have found. They also reduce electricity demands for air conditioning, not only sparing money and emissions, but helping avoid potentially catastrophic power failures during heat waves.

''Trees are, quite simply, the most effective technology, we have to guard against heat in cities,'' said Brian Stone Jr, a professor of environmental planning at the Georgia Institute Of Technology.

The crux of the problem, according to scientists and environmental planners, is that, say, Americans, whether everyday citizens or government officials, are not fully aware of the benefits that trees provide.

In addition to reducing heat, trees filter out air pollution, suck up storm water, store carbon, nurture wildlife and even improve people's mental and physical health.

''It's hard for us to think of trees as actual infrastructure, rather than amenity, and because of that, we don't allocate sufficient funds,'' said Dr. Stone of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

''If we think about it as actual infrastructure, on par with investing in roads and sewers and everything else, those costs will become more acceptable to us.''

''TRADING ONE RISK FOR ANOTHER''

A tree's shade, that sweet relief from solar radiation, is only part of its cooling, is only part of its cooling power. Trees also evaporate water, pulling it from the ground and releasing it into the air through their leaves.

That's why walking through a forest, or just sitting in a playground surrounded by several large trees, feels more refreshing than the shade of a lone tree.

Carefully positioned trees can reduce home energy costs by 25 percent, according to the Department of Energy Nationwide, urban trees offer an estimated $18.3 billion in air pollution removal, carbon sequestration, lowered energy use in buildings and reduced emissions from power plants.

Still, across the world, many people see trees as a nuisance or liability. They drop nuts, seeds and leaves. They buckle sidewalks. They are accused of destroying pipes - wrongly, according to scientists, who say that pipes crack from age, and nearby trees only then send roots towards the leaking water.

Occasionally, their limbs break or they blow over, posing real danger. With climate change increasing the intensity of storms, David Nowak, a senior scientist with the Forest Service who studies urban trees, acknowledges the risk.

Trees close to houses need to be especially well monitored for weakness. But he points out that trees also block wind, reducing the force of storms.

'' You're trading one risk for another,'' Dr. Nowak said. ''Branches falling, and having to clean up branches, versus having to clean up broken rooftops.''

One major challenge is persuading property owners, who own a large share of the land in cities and towns, to plant and maintain trees in their yards. It's important to choose the species carefully. Large shade trees offer more cooling and carbon storage than small ornamentals.

For wildlife, oaks are usually the best bet, according to Doug Tallamy, a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware. They feed more than 900 species of caterpillars, which, in turn, feed birds, whose population have plummeted.

Incentives can help, but tight budgets often keep them modest. For example, in Louisville, Ky., which threw itself into planting more trees after it was found to be the fastest warming large city in the United States, residents can get a $30 ''tree rebate,'' up to three per household, for planting certain shade trees.

The director of public works in Des Moines, Jonathan Gano, came up with an idea to give away ''tiny trees'' seedlings that look like mere sticks with roots. Once a year, residents can pick up five each.

''They're tiny, yes,'' Mr. Gano said. ''They're also practically free,'' costing the city $1 per seedling. ''You could have 99 percent mortality and still be in the money 20 years from now on canopy,'' Mr. Gano said. ''I planted a bunch on my property and about 50 percent of them have survived. One of them's is 11 feet tall now.

''It's a challenge to get trees to thrive in cities,'' said Philip Rodbell, who leads a Forest Service Team studying the social, economic and ecological impact of urban trees.

At the same time, American cities are facing a heat crisis : The largest are warming at twice the rate of the planet as a whole. And that, for sure, holds good for the whole world.

The Honor and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research on Climate Change, Trees and the World, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Catrin Einhorn.

With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the world. See Ya all prepare and register for Great Global Elections on The World Students Society - for every subject in the world-  : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011 :

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