Why plant a tree?

The more I learn about trees, the more amazing the world appears. There are whole worlds we don't understand right under our feet, in our backyards, our oceans and our forests.

We all know the role trees play in absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. The carbon dioxide is absorbed by the leaves of the tree, and through the chemical reaction of photosynthesis is converted into the sugars that the tree uses as building blocks to grow. The remaining oxygen is released back into the air.

But the benefits of forests don't stop there. What happens in the soil below the trees is even more fascinating. With the right conditions, soil can be more effective at storing carbon than the trees above. In order to store carbon, the soil must be kept alive, rich in organic matter, moisture, bacteria and fungi. The older a forest is, the richer and deeper the carbon is stored in the earth. Forests also help prevent wind and water erosion, capturing water before it runs off into the ocean, creating a micro-climate that can help counter the effects of drought. They keep the earth cooler and interrupt the drying wind. 

Our Plant A Tree program

This is why we aim to not only plant a tree with every sale, but to strategically grow a forest. We have chosen to support Carbon Neutral and their Plant a Tree program to help restore a large section of native forest in Western Australia. Over 90% of the Northern Wheat Belt was cleared for agriculture during the 1900's, which coincided with a 16% decrease in inland rainfall, and localised extinction of many plant and animal species. By replanting key areas of this corridor we can create the microclimate needed to support natures own efforts to reestablish itself.

If you would like to read more on this topic, I found this article on Rain Farming and this article on Drought and Trees very interesting. If you have read this far through my post you obviously love trees so I can highly recommend the book called The Hidden Life of Trees (Good write up about it Here) by Peter Wohlleben which explores deeply into the hidden workings of a forest, a very entertaining glimpse into a different world. Let me know your opinions in the comments!

We plant a tree in the corridor for every piece sold (plus a bunch more just because we want to!) and are gradually building up our own little forest.

Have you seen our gorgeous Tree Pendant?

Happy Learning!

Love Jess xxx