Trees are very useful in our life. Trees are our best friends. They play a very important role in our life. We can not live without them. They give us timber, paper and firewood. Timber is used in making houses, train compartments, big boxes, tools etc. Without paper life may be difficult for us. Paper is necessary for study and writing. People in villages use firewood to cook meals. They use wood to build houses, huts, carts and agriculture tools. Trees also give us food, gum and medicine. They also add to the beauty of life. Gardens can not be charming without them. We need them for oxygen and good health. Trees also help to control pollution: They absorb carbon dioxide. They improve our environment. They cause rainfall and protect water resources under the ground. They prevent floods and droughts. Therefore, we should try our best to grow more trees. Govt. and social welfare societies should start a movement. There should be awards for those persons who grow more trees. Much of the wildlife on earth could not exist without trees. In addition to releasing oxygen into the air for animals to breathe, trees provide homes and food for many animals. Trees are also important because they provide shelter from the wind, aid in preventing soil erosion, and enrich the soil with their decaying leaves. Trees have many commercial uses. Their wood yields thousands of products, including paper, medicines and other chemicals, and lumber. Trees also provide food, such as fruits, spices, and nuts. Bark from the roots of the sassafras yields a tea and oils, and various chemicals are derived from the roots of the longleaf pine. Some tree bark yields such substances as cork, tannins, and cinnamon, as well as various kinds of dyes. Some leaves, such as those of the palmyra palm, provide fibers that are woven into twine, rope, and mats. Fluids from trees yield many useful products, including rubber, maple syrup, and turpentine. Trees are also valuable for ornamentation. They line streets and adorn gardens, making them cooler and more comfortable in summer by providing shade. Among favorite shade trees in the United States are the locust, oak, elm, beech, linden, maple, birch, willow, ash, and sweet gum. Trees cultivated for their ornamental flowers include the tulip tree, horse chestnut, locust, crab apple, and catalpa. Benfits Trees combat the greenhouse effect Global warming is the result of excess greenhouse gases, created by burning fossil fuels and destroying tropical rainforests. Heat from the sun, reflected back from the earth, is trapped in this thickening layer of gases, causing global temperatures to rise. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas. 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. Trees clean the air Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark. Trees provide oxygen In one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people. Trees cool the streets and the city Average temperatures in Los Angeles have risen 6°F in the last 50 years as tree coverage has declined and the number of heat-absorbing roads and buildings has increased. Trees cool the city by up to 10°F, by shading our homes and streets, breaking up urban “heat islands” and releasing water vapor into the air through their leaves. Trees conserve energy Three trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. By reducing the energy demand for cooling our houses, we reduce carbon dioxide and other pollution emissions from power plants. Trees save water Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns. Most newly planted trees need only fifteen gallons of water a week. As trees transpire, they increase atmospheric moisture. Trees help prevent water pollution Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree. This prevents stormwater from carrying pollutants to the ocean. When mulched, trees act like a sponge that filters this water naturally and uses it to recharge groundwater supplies. Trees help prevent soil erosion On hillsides or stream slopes, trees slow runoff and hold soil in place. Trees shield children from ultra-violet rays Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Trees reduce UV-B exposure by about 50 percent, thus providing protection to children on school campuses and playgrounds - where children spend hours outdoors. Trees provide food An apple tree can yield up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year and can be planted on the tiniest urban lot. Aside from fruit for humans, trees provide food for birds and wildlife. Trees heal Studies have shown that patients with views of trees out their windows heal faster and with less complications. Children with ADHD show fewer symptoms when they have access to nature. Exposure to trees and nature aids concentration by reducing mental fatigue. Trees reduce violence Neighborhoods and homes that are barren have shown to have a greater incidence of violence in and out of the home than their greener counterparts. Trees and landscaping help to reduce the level of fear. Trees mark the seasons Is it winter, spring, summer or fall? Look at the trees. Trees create economic opportunities Fruit harvested from community orchards can be sold, thus providing income. Small business opportunities in green waste management and landscaping arise when cities value mulching and its water-saving qualities. Vocational training for youth interested in green jobs is also a great way to develop economic opportunities from trees. Trees are teachers and playmates Whether as houses for children or creative and spiritual inspiration for adults, trees have provided the space for human retreat throughout the ages. Trees bring diverse groups of people together Tree plantings provide an opportunity for community involvement and empowerment that improves the quality of life in our neighborhoods. All cultures, ages, and genders have an important role to play at a tree planting or tree care event. Trees add unity Trees as landmarks can give a neighborhood a new identity and encourage civic pride. 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. Trees block things 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. Trees provide wood In suburban and rural areas, trees can be selectively harvested for fuel and craft wood. Trees increase property values Loss of ancient farming wisdom, unavailability of scientific agricultural knowledge and bad planting decisions have led to severe financial losses for farmers, who are forced sell their lands, migrate to cities for labour work and some drastic step like suicides Added to this, due to severe climate change, the climatic patterns have now become unpredictable. Groundwater reserves are depleting at an alarming rate. Farming, which once was the noblest profession of providing nourishment, life’s fundamental need, to all human beings, has now been reduced to a socially backward position primarily because of farmers’ financial situations. TREES FOR LIFE - is an agro-forestry initiative for promoting the planting of ecologically and economically beneficial tree saplings in farmlands, thereby offsetting/increasing farmers’ income