Love a Tree Day

Love a Tree Day recognizes the indispensable and invaluable role that trees play in the functioning of our environment. Surprisingly, not many people know that trees have not always existed on Earth.

History

For the first 90% of Earth’s history, massive mushrooms, some reaching up to 26 feet in height, dominated the landscape. The first large tree was “Cladoxylopsida”, which grew on Earth around 400 million years ago. There were also tree-like horsetails and ferns. Today, scientists estimate there are 3 trillion mature trees worldwide. In the United States, approximately 766 million acres of forest are home to a wide variety of tree species.

Trees provide countless benefits to Earth’s inhabitants, including food, timber, shelter, oxygen, and protection. However, they are often damaged by fires or felled by humans. In response to this, efforts to protect trees and preserve ecosystems have increased, leading to the creation of National Love a Tree Day.

Interesting Facts

There are many fascinating facts about trees:

1. A single pine tree provides enough oxygen for three people.
2. The manchineel tree is the most poisonous tree. You can’t even stand next to it for long periods without risk. There have been reports of car paint being damaged from the tree’s toxins.
3. Jadav Payeng, a 16-year-old arborist from India, began planting trees in a barren sand wasteland. Today, that area has become a 550-hectare tropical forest.
4. The most diverse family of trees is the legume family, with 5,405 species.

How to Take Part

Here are some great ways to celebrate Love a Tree Day:

1. Plant a tree.
2. Visit a forest or park to enjoy the fresh air.
3. Organize a distribution of informational leaflets about the importance and irreplaceability of trees.

When is Love a Tree Day in 2024?

Love a Tree Day is observed on May 16 each year.

Observations