Trees, river and mountains
In the news these days are stories about huge wind storms, sometimes with lots of flooding, and intense wildfires that are destroying entire communities, including trees. Sometimes trees are uprooted, ending their lives. Even worse, those trees might land on a house, damaging it and sometimes killing people who live there.
These kinds of news stories are especially hard to watch. One way to deal with the trauma of such news is to become actively involved in helping to save trees. But how can we do that? How can our families help? How can students who may be in a virtual learning situation because of the COVID-19 coronavirus create an interesting project or report?
Fortunately, there are lots of websites on the Internet that provide ideas for how to help. Check out those sites to be sure they are ones you trust. Here are a few I read about when I searched for how to help trees.
At https://onetreeplanted.org, you can help this 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Vermont. They make it simple for you to plant trees around the world. One dollar, they say, plants one tree.
At https://www.marthastewart.com/2224407/organizations-saving-trees, you will find information about eight organizations that are fighting to save trees.
The site has some wonderful information, which would be great for kids who are writing a report about trees. Here’s just a little of what the site says. “In grade-school science class, we learned that trees produce the air we breathe. But the estimated three trillion of them currently living on Earth do far more than that. They filter out pollutants, prevent erosion, and redirect stormwater from overtaxed sewers. They cool air temperatures; offer shelter from UV rays; yield fruits, nuts and medicinal ingredients; and, according to the UN (United Nations), provide homes for more than 80 percent of the planet’s land-based animals, plants, and insects. And that’s just a warm-up. More than half of the drinking water in the United States is filtered through their roots. In cities, trees reduce the prevalence of asthma (per a 2008 Columbia University study) and crime (from research analyzed by Vibrant Cities Lab), while encouraging people to socialize more and increasing real-estate values. And in Kenya, they’ve helped people out of poverty and starvation.”
This site is worth visiting. You will find information about the eight organizations that are fighting to save trees. Some of them are Backyard Woods, PHS Tree Tenders, Casey Trees, The Million Trees Project, Plant a Billion Trees, The Green Belt Movement, and The Time for Trees.
At https://www.nationalforests.org/get-involved/tree-planting-programs, you can find out how to help our national forests. The organization is in the process of planting 50 million trees across national forests in the United States. They invite all Americans, both businesses and individuals, to join their efforts to replant America’s national forests. The website says, “We make it easy – $1 plants one native tree on a National Forest in need of reforestation. And, for every $1 we invest in reforestation, the U.S. Forest Service provides $2 of value in project support and implementation.
One of the best known organizations, the Arbor Day Foundation, has lots of ideas for how people can help trees. Its website is https://www.arborday.org/ This 501(c)3 organization was founded in 1972, which was the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance. The website says, “More than 1 million members, supporters, and valued partners have helped us plant more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods and communities, cities, and forests throughout the world to ensure a greener and healthier future for everyone.” If you become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation, you will receive 10 free trees as well as tree nursery discounts.
There are other organizations out there too that work to save trees. Have fun exploring what you can find out about them. Maybe in the process you too can save some trees!