Yes, we all know trees are the lungs of our planet, the way to combat climate change, reduce carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide a canopy for wildlife, but also a bit of nuisance sometimes.
How many times have you felt the need to exercise the universal right of reduction, your right to remove overhanging branches and roots to your boundary line, just getting rid of a nuisance tree? One thing that we don’t have control over is the trees unlimited growth, and you can plant a sapling today and expect your grandkids to be building a treehouse atop, or hang a swing from one of its sturdy branches. Our green friends are some of the longest living organisms on this blue dot of a planet we like to call home.
The Growth
Have you ever asked yourself- do trees ever stop growing? The truth is you can never outlive a tree to be able to answer it for yourself. But for all practical purposes’ trees stop growing in height once they reach about an age of hundred and fifty years but still keep on adding rings to their trunk year after another. Having one around can be lifesaving as well as life-threatening. Trees reduce the amount of stormwater runoff, reduces erosion and pollution give us shade and at the same time be blocking your driveways, endanger your lives being too close to public utility supplies. Have protruding branches that pose a threat and require maintenance now and then.
Advantages of Maintaining
Maintaining trees provides for regeneration, improved habitat for many species and supports flora health. It is vital to have trees in your surroundings managed to minimize the inconvenience caused by them. Having a tree specialist visit every once in a while is a practice that should be adopted. Still, at times of emergencies, like a damaged tree or an overhanging branch waiting to succumb to the effects of gravity or that one gust of wind, one needs to take action to reduce future inconveniences like an obstruction in one’s driveway or a branch falling on the rooftop.
Impact on Your Health
Outdoor activities like gardening have been found to make people happier by reducing mood disturbances, relieving stress, teaching us new skills and providing us with the necessary respite in life.
Another benefit of just having flora around you is the fact that you have trees act as masks or filters for the eyes masking unsightly views, muffling sound and reduce glare. Having organized flora also accounts for the increase in wildlife habitat and have a more welcoming environment for the indigenous fauna.
Trees’ unlimited growth means that they can be the “root cause of inconvenience” (pun intended) many a times, but are also a necessary part of our ecosystems. It is only wise to have a fair amount of knowledge before indulging in activities like cutting down large trees or uprooting large ones and sound to let the task up to the professionals and prevent any mishappenings.