Trees are Worth Saving
By Lucía Salazar
I have been concerned for some time about the fate of our forests due to the high demand for new homes and the lack of regulation to protect trees in privately owned lands. Canada is one of the eight most industrialized countries of the world. Some industrialized countries already have legislation to protect trees in private properties and Canada should not be the exception. Everybody deserves to have a nice place to live, but not at the cost of the destruction of the environment and the landscape of our beautiful country.
Canada 's boreal forest, which stretches from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Yukon , is the largest intact forest ecosystem in the planet. Did you know that this forest shelters more than 60 percent of Canada 's bird population and thousands of plants, insects and other animals? The ecosystem of the boreal region is composed of conifer and deciduous trees that are part of the world's largest source and filter of fresh water.
Builders often argue that it is not possible to build while having trees around the construction site, but that is not true. My husband and I live on a half acre property with many underground connections like a well and a septic, and we have a lot of trees in our yard. It is not necessary to destroy all the trees to build a house or a subdivision; it makes it cheaper for the contractor. That is the only advantage for him or her and there is none for the new home owner.
It seems to me that building permits are issued without considering the consequences of deforestation. Has anyone from the government visited a building lot to assess the possible damage to the environment before issuing a building permit? I don't think so. Huge treed areas are razed to build houses very close to each other and offered at cheap prices, but the final result is quite depressing. The place looks like the Sahara desert and the new home owners have to invest a lot of money to make their yards look attractive.
Trees provide only benefits to all of us. As the Canadian Forestry Association states in their teaching kit,
One healthy tree can:
- Lift up to 4,000 litres of water from the ground and release it into the air.
- Absorb as many as 7,000 dust particles per litre of air.
- Absorb 75 percent of the CO2 produced by the average car and remove it from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
- Provide a day's oxygen for up to four people.
Trees also:
- Can save10 to 15 percent on a home heating bill with an evergreen windbreak.
- Keep soil from washing away.
- Shade soil and protect it from drying out.
- Help absorb the noisy sounds of a city.
- Affect our emotions and make our homes and cities more appealing.
- Can help hospital patients recover more quickly when they can see them.
Trees are vital for the protection of the watershed. We all need water, not only to keep our yards nice and green, but for our own existence. Trees also help to prevent our gardens and lawn from drying out in the heat and the wind. A tree protected property will have a lusher yard that will need less watering. Our province has the largest water consumption per capita of Canada and I believe we should adjust to the effects of climate change rather than pushing our water resources to the limit.
There are many, many more benefits of having trees around, but we still want to cut them. It is very sad to see so many people buying conifers for Christmas trees. Trees that are used for Christmas decoration do not grow at the same speed that they are cut; they grow an average of one foot per year in this kind of environment. An eight foot tree has had to face the raging winds and bitterly cold temperatures of the Canadian winters for approximately eight years. What do we do in return for all the good things that trees provide to us? We put them in a living room for about two weeks and dispose of them. A whole life disappears when a tree is cut for $30 or less and when the holiday season is over nobody remembers its existence. If they could speak, trees could tell us wonderful stories like our grandparents. Saving money is no reason to prefer a live Christmas tree. If you calculate how much you spend every year buying new trees and carrying them home, you will realize that you would be better off having an artificial one. The live Christmas tree becomes a fire hazard when we install Christmas lights around their foliage.
Our future and the future of our children are in our hands. Let's try to be sensible and responsible with our resources. Plant a conifer in your yard and demand that your contractor leaves trees in your property. This Christmas, buy a plastic tree; it will last for a life time.
