Trees: Nature’s Gift We Must Not Waste

Today is Monday and the first lecture I do have is GST- General studies. It happened that the topic we treated today was on environment and we based our focus on Trees.

Today, I've learnt that trees are truly wonderful creations. I still remember what my nursery school teacher told us: “When trees disappear, rain does too.” At the time, I didn't really understand what it meant. Not until I got to secondary school, when my Basic Science teacher explained the science behind it, and then it all began to make sense.

Today in the tertiary institution, my Lecture has made everything crystal clear to me. He taught us that trees take water from the ground and release it into the air through a process called transpiration. That water vapor rises and helps form clouds, and from those clouds, rain falls. So, when many trees are cut down and not replaced, the air becomes dry, clouds don’t form as they should, and eventually, rain becomes scarce.

He also went ahead to stress that trees do more than help bring rain. They provide shade, which makes the environment cooler. That’s why I always beg my dad to plant at least two trees in our compound. I want to sit under them, read, do homework, or just relax. Trees also serve as a windbreaker, keeping our roofs from being blown away during strong winds; something we badly need in areas where rooftops are often damaged like my town because there are no trees to slow down the wind.

Away from what my lecturer's lesson, there are also fruit trees which we plant for the purpose of getting friuts from them for consumption and for cash. So while enjoying the shade and fresh air, you can actually have something to feed your mouth with and make money from.

Trees also help clean the air. While we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, plants do the opposite. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This natural exchange helps keep the air fresh and healthy. Some trees even help prevent erosion by holding the soil firmly with their roots, and others serve as home to birds and animals, adding beauty and life to our environment. Someone like me, I really love the twittering of birds, it makes the environment more lively to me.

In science, I also learned that some plants help enrich the soil with nitrogen through a process called nitrogen fixation. This makes the soil more fertile and supports farming and food growth.

Planting trees may look like a small act, but it brings big results- more rain, cooler air, cleaner surroundings, and safer homes. Let’s stop cutting down trees carelessly and start planting more. Our environment, our health, and even our future depend on it.

Thanks for reading
@ritaetim