Urban arboretum

Abstract

"A tree. The biggest and oldest living things on Earth are trees. All life is shaped by a struggle for survival. Competition for nutrients and reproductive success is unceasing. In contrast to animals, which must move around in search of food and mates, the plant kingdom places a premium on patience. At first glance trees appear to embody this vegetative strategy to perfection: they seem to achieve all their goals by standing still. What could be more emblematic of patience than a tree that has been rooted in the same spot for hundreds or even thousands of years, taking all it needs from the air, the sun, and the soil? Asfor competition with other forms of life, a tree seems to operate on the principle that a good defence is the best offence. INaddition to providing shade and cooling through evaporation, trees filter noise, dust, and chemical pollutants from the air. Curiously enough, one of the greatest benefits that trees can provide for human populations is being realised by extending and improving what today's foresters call the 'urban forest.' This includes all the trees in the city parks as well as all the trees planted along city streets and highways, and trees in people's yards. The extent of this forest is surprising. About one third of the surface area of the average city is given over to streets and structures "--ExhibitionsInternational.org