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American cities lose 36 million trees a year. Where will the reduction of green spaces lead? CNN Health asks.
The heat records and fires this summer proved it.
Trees can lower daytime summer temperatures by nearly 10 degrees.
However, urban vegetation has recently declined. According to a study by the US Forest Service, there will be 36 million fewer trees each year. If this continues, “cities will be more polluted, congested and unhealthy,” said David Nowak, a co-author of the study.
According to the expert, there can be myriad causes of canopy destruction, including windstorms, fires, pests and diseases. But the main reason is still the expansion of cities. If we look at an old photograph of a row of trees or a grove, today definitely a concrete building or a parking lot is in place of the trees.
“Every time we build a road and we have houses next to it, we exterminate the trees, the vegetation with its mass, which changes not only the city, but the entire region,” said Nowak, who concluded the article with a list of ten.
Ten things trees do to help society:
- 1. Reduce the temperature The canopy of the trees provides shade, so it does not allow the ground to heat up. Cools the air as moisture evaporating from the leaves moistens the dry air. For a livable environment, it would be important that 40 percent of the city area was under the canopy.
- 2. Reduce air pollution Trees sequester carbon and remove pollutants from the atmosphere.
- 3. Reduce your electricity bill Due to the lack of trees, we have to use air conditioning, so the United States can save up to four billion a year through afforestation.
- 4. Improved water quality Trees purify water as they absorb water from the dirty surface, absorbing nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil.
- 5. Reduce flooding Trees have a significant impact on flood protection: they reduce the extent of flooding, such as fruit trees in floodplains. They absorb excess water and also bind to the soil.
- 6. Reduce noise pollution Trees pick up noise like a curtain, so they are planted next to railways and roads.
- 7. They are also protected from ultraviolet radiation. Trees absorb 96 percent of ultraviolet radiation.
- 8. Aesthetic development Trees are the best real estate developers, increasing the look and value of homes and lots.
- 9. Improve health Closeness to nature is good for physical and mental health. People living in the green belt can look forward to a longer age and healthier health as well.
- 10. Preservation of wildlife Birds are inhabited by trees. Trees and forests provide shelter for a wide variety of animal species.
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