Why you should adopt a tree

Adopting a tree is a great way to ensure more trees are planted. That’s important for a multitude of reasons: not least because trees must play a vital role in our global battle in the fight against climate change.

Adopting a tree – or dedicating a tree to someone else – is a brilliant idea. Trees are vital for our planet’s health.

Here, we consider some of the reasons why you should adopt a tree.

#1. More trees will be planted

If you adopt a tree, you’re ensuring that one more tree will be planted. Tree planting schemes are brilliant for local communities and our overall planet health. Schemes include the Nature Conservancy’s ambition to plant a billion trees and The World Land Trust’s plant a tree scheme.

#2. It’s better for air quality

Trees play an important role in improving air quality. Thanks to the process of photosynthesis which converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, they are vital for ensuring our atmosphere remains oxygen rich.

What’s more, trees are able to clean the air and absorb harmful airborne particles and gaseous pollutants. They absorb toxins such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia and sulphur dioxide through their leaves, bark and roots.

#3. It’s better for wildlife

Trees and forests are home to many different wildlife species all around the world. With issues around biodiversity loss raging globally, looking after our forests has to be a priority for every country.

A single oak tree has been shown to house more than 280 species of insects – that’s to say nothing of the birds, mammals and other animals that might call it home.

#4. It’s important for local communities

Forests often play an important role for local communities. They can be a source of income as well as an important leisure resource. What’s more studies have shown that spending time in forests is good for our health – both physical and mental. When you plant a tree, you are benefitting the people who live nearby.

#5. It’s important in the battle against climate change

Most importantly, trees are the green lungs of our planet. They play an absolutely essential role in drawing CO2 from the atmosphere. That’s important because the build up of CO2 creates the greenhouse effect associated with human-created climate change.

CO2 traps heat from the sun, warming the climate and causing unpredictable and dramatic changes to global weather patterns. Rising temperatures are behind many droughts, extreme weather events, and rising sea levels around the world.

Trees are an important antidote to CO2 build up and its effects. Planting trees is one of the easiest and fastest ways to remove CO2 from our atmosphere.

#6. It’s a thoughtful gift

Best of all, you can adopt trees on behalf of friends and loved ones. And given all the brilliant things do for us and our planet, it’s hard to imagine a more thoughtful gift.

What now?

Discover more information about trees and forestry on our blog:

• Could this be the oldest tree in the world?
• Forest activities: How to build the perfect den
• Year-round care reduces risk of forest fire
• After COP26 is 1.5C still alive?
• Jair Bolsonaro: the world’s most dangerous climate denier?
• The story of those who cultivate forests
• The oldest tree in Europe & how it can help in climate change