Why Plant Trees?
What's so good about trees?
1. Trees clean the air & provide oxygen
Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.In one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.
2. Trees help prevent water pollution & erosion
Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall. Trees act like a sponge that filters this water. On hillsides or stream slopes, trees slow runoff and hold soil in place.
3. Fruit Trees can provide food for people and animals
An apple tree can yield up to 100s fruit per year and can be planted in the tiniest garden urban lot. Aside from fruit for humans, trees provide food for birds and wildlife.
4. Trees provide a canopy and habitat for wildlife
Sycamore and oak are among the many urban species that provide excellent urban homes for birds, bees, possums and squirrels.
5. Trees block things like ugly buildings and neighbours
Trees can mask concrete walls or parking lots, and unsightly views. They muffle sound from nearby streets and freeways, and create an eye-soothing canopy of green. Trees absorb dust and wind and reduce glare.
6. Trees increase property values
The beauty of a well-planted property and its surrounding street and neighborhood can raise property values by as much as 15 percent.
7. Trees make you feel good! Everyone Loves Trees
Trees and woodland have been shown to add to welbeing and to calm people in the face of life's stresses.
8. Trees can be planted to mark any occasion.
Births, Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Retirement
When To Plant Trees
Container trees can be planted at any time of the year, but establish best when planted during the autumn or spring.
Here are a few reasons why we recommend autumn planting:
- In autumn and spring, trees have stopped putting their energy into producing leaves, flowers, and fruit so they can concentrate on developing better roots
- Soil temperature and moisture levels are usually just right for promoting root growth which helps the tree to establish
- Autumn and spring planting lessens transplant shock which allows the tree to settle into its new home more readily
- Trees planted in autumn will have developed a good root system by the time they start growing again in spring
- There is less need to water trees planted in autumn as there is more natural rainfall and the ground is usually consistently moist
- As well as stronger growth in spring, trees planted in autumn and early spring will need less watering the following summer as they will have a more established root system
- There are fewer potential pest and disease problems to deal with in autumn and winter
Tree planting is recommended from late August to November and in February, March and April and May. If you plant from June to August you will need to water the tree regularly and not allow it to dry out at any time.
