the bigger picture
I will try to offer you a few glimpses into the wonders of our native woodland trees, in the hope that you become better informed of the importance of our woodland treasures.
I became enchanted by them and believe that others would like to share the joys that trees bring to us all. Our fields, woods and hedgerows have a very important part to play in protecting us from harmful pollutants; however, when grassland is converted into crop land, hedgerows become progressively smaller or even disappear, also leading to the loss of larger trees growing within the hedgerows.
The role of trees and hedgerows is to store vital amounts of carbon which is fundamental to our wellbeing and that of all living things. The fields, woods and hedgerows are all part of the majesty of nature and truly believe that we must look upon ourselves as guardians of all of nature and become caretakers on behalf of future generations yet to be born.
Trees should be left alone to live out their hidden lives, so that our descendants will still have the opportunity to walk amongst them in wonder. If trees are allowed to mature and survive into old age (Grandparent status) they would have a calming effect on nature and offer better experiences for people seeking knowledge, rest and contentment. Walking in cool mature woodland can lower stress and blood pressure levels whereas in a pine forest it has the opposite effect as pines produce heat and the blood pressure can become slightly raised. Our green and open spaces are immeasurable in terms of pleasure for people, a home for wildlife and the natural beauty afforded by the grace of the trees themselves.
When a mature tree tumbles and falls it becomes a kind of nurse to the young deciduous trees, it releases its storage of water and is able to cool the hot summer air beneath the canopy to a much more reasonable temperature. This fallen tree will eventually with the help of the insects and micro-organisms break down to create rich humus which will nourish them further for years to come. Many other species such as birds, mice and a vast array of insect life depend of the fallen tree for food and shelter; it is also a growing medium for other plant life such as ferns, wildflowers, fungi, mosses and lichens.
However, young trees that have no parents have little or no protection. In an emergency such as drought, fire, infestation or stress the parent trees would provide food in the way of sugars and vital nutrients to help them to survive their traumatic experience. Parent trees that have been felled and removed due to the interventions of foresters or conservationists can no longer provide this. They truly believe that open spaces in woodland areas increases species diversity, but sadly miss the fact that this is traumatic for the woodland area. It improves riches in the short term but has a catastrophic effect on the young trees and the micro-organisms.
If more of our trees and pastoral landscapes could be protected for grazing animals which were allowed to wander the grassland, the meat they provide would be much improved by diet and freedom. By eating grasses of different types and at variable growth stages, such as Yorkshire fog, cock’s foot, rye, fiorin and timothy grass, this would enable them to produce much higher levels of both Omega 3 and 6 and would enjoy a much wilder and varied diet. In this situation the animals, the farmer, the land owner and the customer could all benefit from healthier and more contented beasts. The only loser here would be the vet as he would not need to frequent the farm as often.
If a grazing animal sustains an injury they will eat quite large quantities of willow. By choosing what they eat, nibbling flowers, herbs and tree leaves for vital trace elements in their daily diet, they can heal themselves from within and therefore, will not need human intervention with antibiotics. Such decisions cannot be made so effectively by us.
With the increased pressure on farmers to produce more meat faster due to ever growing demands for food however, this has a negative effect on the animals expecting store cattle and intensively farmed animals to develop normally in such different and depressing circumstances. However, in the former setting animals would grow stronger, be happier and healthier, but moreover the fields would protect us better by storing carbons. The hedgerows will once more flourish and all the trees that grow there within. The air would be much cleaner and we shall smile once more, with a sense of adventure and curiosity we can learn and experience more by tuning in to nature which will reward us tenfold.
