By Jemimah Chungu
The global deforestation rate is alarming. Almost 26 million hectares of forests worldwide were lost in 2020 and increasing in 2022 as about 2,400 trees are cut down each minute. This is due to increase demand of trees for their economic usage but the lack of reforestation is resulting to desertification.
If major vital forestry areas like the Congo and Amazon alongside other forested area are deforested, what will sustain people and the environment? Here reasons to conserve trees for the present and future.
Humans
Aura: as Africans, we believe some trees give us good aura. There are identified trees and shrubs that are used for enhancing good aura by simply living them on the open or applying on the body. There are also certain trees used for chasing bad aura.
Food: food extracted from trees for human consumption and nutrition are countless. Some are also used for making spices and flavour ingredients for food and beverage recipes.
Health: nutrients attained through food boost the human health. A lot of trees are used also for medicinal purposes and maintain human health. Some of these are; Neem tree, Holly fiso, Guava tree, lemon tree, Cactus, Moringa just to mention a few. These are used for treatment, stabilizing or boosting the immune system. Some of the illnesses confirmed responding are HIV/ AIDS, B.P, Diabetes, coughs, diarrheal diseases, ulcers, cancers, gastritis, constipation and many others.
There are trees used for skin and hair treatment. Certain trees and shrubs repair skin tissues, swab off dead skin and clear acne, rushes and other skin related complications. The trees are used by boiling then drinking the water with the fluid from the tree or applying onto the skin. Other trees are used for hair growth for example the Mbalantu women of Namibia whose hair reach their feet use to use a certain type acacia tree and other hair products like chebe powder are extracted from it . Some trees are also used virginal benefits such that if applied or eaten can cleanse the virgina and boost its health.
Cultural and historical heritage: We Africans believe there are certain trees that are ancestral shrines for spirits or gods for example in Zambia there is a tree called ‘ingombe ilede’ or ‘sleeping cow’ because it looks like one and the other one called Mukuyu tree that doesn’t shade it leaves. These were worshipped by people in ancient days. There are others around the world that look like turtles, humans and birds that attract tourists.
In Africa, Some trees have amazing artistic work on them and there are also slave trees that hold historical memories. Holding this important aspect gives certain trees so much value.
Energy: the cheapest and easiest type of energy; wood energy and charcoal (biomass) is extracted from trees.
Shelter: trees give people a natural shelter that is soothing, refreshing and therapeutic.
Beneficiaries of environmental and economic uses: trees act an important role in balancing the physical environment which is the habitat for humans. Trees also have a lot of economic benefits that in their actuality benefit humans.
Physical Environment
Carbon sinks: trees are sinks of carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon in the atmosphere is the cause of ozone layer depletion and the latter global warming and climate change. Rain forests particularly the Congo and Amazon an important for global carbon sinks. Carbon in the atmosphere is as a result of pollutant emissions from industries, laboratories, vehicles and others.
Beauty sceneries: trees add beauty to the world. Trees like palm trees, acacia trees, umbrella trees to list but a few are planted in streets, homes, malls just for beauty. Even the ones that grow on their own and in natural grasslands are refrained from cutting for the very fact that they add beauty to the world.
Wind and rain breakers: trees reduce wind velocity and air infiltration rates thus breaking strong winds that can blow things like houses and poles away. Trees also reduce the impact of heavy rainfall that can likewise destroy the wellbeing of humans and the environment.
Soil eroding prevention: trees prevent soil eroding by reducing the impact of rain forcefully hitting the ground by draining down the leaves and branches. Some of the rain is soaked by trees without which can cause soil eroding and degrading of landscapes.
Habitats: trees especially in the wild are homes for animal species such as monkeys, birds, bees and so many more.
Food: trees do not only provide food for people but for wild animals too. They bear fruits for animal consumption and animals like giraffes and elephants browse the leaves.
Completing natural cycles: trees in the water cycle are responsible for pulling water from the ground and releasing into the atmosphere as vapour through pores in their leaves through transpiration. In the nitrogen cycle trees absorb nitrogen from air and soil clean it and release it for other organisms. The air we breathe is exchanged by trees. Trees are also vital in other cycles like carbon cycle and nutrient cycle.
Complete ecosystems: trees complete ecosystems by being habitats, food, and generally their existence in nature.
Economic uses
Agroforestry: an initiative of practicing agriculture and growing trees for their benefit to agriculture for example shielding crops.
Entrepreneurship: one can start a business of selling trees that are grown domestically for example; Palm trees, Paw-paw trees and others. Apiculture, fruits and other products can also be a good initiative for entrepreneurship.
Apiculture: trees are a habitant of bees that are the basis of apiculture. Apiculture commonly called bee farming is a very good source of income. It produces honey, wax; candles, crayons, cobra just to mention a few.
Food: Food precisely fruits attained from trees are sold and generate income for the seller. Trees can therefore reduce hunger and poverty by simply planting them.
Production: tree yield so many products; furniture, insupa (pots), lotions, soaps, toothpaste, boats, electric poles, fences, doors, cupboards, rubbers, pencils, paper, oil and so much more. These help someone’s economic status weather produced at small scale or large scale or primary to industrial level. They can also be a good economic source at national level.
Medicines: It is from trees that Herbal medicines and biomedical medicines are made.
Employment: tree or forest reserves offer a lot of employments such as; forest patrols, pot fillers, foresters and others. Employment can also be acquired through entrepreneurship and agroforestry and through products of trees.
Henceforth trees must be replaced after cutting them. The United Nations Environmental Program UNEP and environmental activists advise replacing two trees after cutting down one and to think they are some people who think development is cutting down trees. Imagine the humanity and environmental benefit if each and every person in the world planted one tree only (about 7 billion trees).
