Can You Imagine a World Without Trees?
Trees are the cornerstone of Earth’s ecosystems
They provide habitat for animals and other plants. And people need them. Despite their critical importance to people and ecosystems, at least 10 percent of the world’s roughly 100,000 tree species are threatened with extinction.
Strength
Trees make our lives better in ways we may not notice. They clean air, store carbon, and provide food, timber, fuel, and medicine. Scientists call these benefits ecosystem services. Humans would have to pay billions of dollars for these ecosystem services if we let our trees die.
Trees are increasingly vulnerable in a changing world
Trees grow slowly. It can take decades for them to reach maturity and reproduce. For example, it can take 150 years for a white oak (Quercus alba) to grow from 20 feet to its mature height at 60 feet tall. And, unlike animals, trees can’t move when their habitat becomes inhospitable. Since trees stay where they are planted, they are often trapped in a rapidly changing environment.