The Importance of Trees

Essay # 1

Trees are like human beings. They, too, are born and die. They, too, breathe and have their food. They are our most helpful companions. They are our selfless friends. They give us a lot, taking almost nothing.

Trees give us shade in the scorching heat of the sun. They cheer us up with their cool breeze. Soon when a shower of rain comes, we take shelter under them if there is no building or structure nearby.

Trees are home to so many birds and small animals. Trees provide us with fruits, which are a nourishing source of food. They are tasty, too. Can we imagine a world where there are no mangoes, no apples, no guavas, no oranges, etc.? Besides their nourishing value, some fruits have their medicinal value. They are also a rich source of income for those who grow them.

Trees keep the desert away. They attract rain. They protect the banks of rivers from being washed away. The trees in a forest save wildlife, i.e. the animals and birds which live in the jungle.

There are people who have a great love for trees. They not only plant but also protect them from coming to harm. There are stories which show how some people even died to protect the trees from being cut down. A poet says:

Woodman, spare that tree!

Touch not a single bough!

In youth it sheltered me,

And I’ll protect it now.

Why should we cut down trees when they are so useful to us? If we cut them at all, let us plant many more in their stead.

We can minimise the cutting down of trees by saving paper, which is prepared from their pulp. A lot of paper is used for making greeting cards. We can stop it. We can convey our greetings on the telephone or by e-mail, now when these advanced techniques are so easily available. Trees have to be saved.

The Importance of Trees

Essay # 2

Our ancestors used to worship trees and protect them like their children. It itself shows the importance of trees. Trees provide food, fibers, wood, and medicines. They conserve natural resources. By standing in the way of the howling winds they check their speed and the topsoil is not blown away. Their roots hold the soil together and even heavy rains fail to wash it away. By checking the speed of the sliding snow they do not allow it to take the shape of havoc-spreading avalanches. Their roots help store water underground. They provide homes for the birds, shelter for wildlife, and recreation spots for vacationists. They provide means of livelihood to countless people. They give us oxygen which is our life-breath. Trees loaded with fruits bend. This way they teach man the lesson of humility. It is that man after acquiring qualities must remain humble. Trees, from birth till their death, give one useful thing or the other. So, they are very very special for men.