For those of you who love trees as I do, here are some things about them you may not know.

Trees

Trees use hairy leaf surfaces to trap and filter out ash, dust and pollen particles carried into the air.

Trees dilute gaseous pollutants in the air as they release oxygen.

Trees provide food for birds and wild animals.

Trees lower air temperatures by enlisting the sun's energy to evaporate water in the leaves.

Trees increase humidity in dry climates by releasing moisture as a by-product of food-making evaporation.

Trees give us a constant supply of products - lumber for buildings and tools, cellulose for paper and fiber; as well as nuts, mulches, oils, gums, syrups and fruits.

Trees slow down forceful winds.

Trees cut noise pollution by acting as barriers to sound. Each 100 foot width of trees can absorb about 6 to 8 decibels of sound intensity. Long busy highways, which can generate as much as 72 decibels, this reduction would be welcome to residents.

Trees provide shelter for birds and wildlife and even for us when caught in a rain shower without an umbrella.

Trees shade us from direct sunlight better than any sombrero.

Tree leaves, when fallen, cover the ground to keep the soil from drying out.

Trees camouflage harsh scenery and unsightly city dumps, auto graveyards, and mine sites.

Trees offer a natural challenge to youthful climbers.

Tree branches support ruggedly used swings.

Trees break the onslaught of pelting rain-drops on the soil surface and give soil a chance to soak up as much water as possible.

Tree leaves, by decaying, replace minerals in the soil and enrich it to support later plant growth.

Tree roots hold the soil and keep silt from washing into streams.

Tree roots help air get beneath the soil surface.

  Trees help supply oxygen we need to breathe. Yearly, each acre of young trees can produce enough oxygen to keep eighteen people alive.

Trees help keep our air supply fresh by using up carbon dioxide that we exhale and that factories and engines emit.

Trees salve the psyche with pleasing shapes and patterns, fragrant blossoms and seasonal splashes of color.

Trees break the monotony of endless sidewalks and miles of highway.

Trees beautify our gardens and grace our backyards.