Trees are an important part of our daily lives. Often called nature's air conditioners, trees provide shade and relief from the sun's heat and harmful rays. They also absorb carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas), and in turn, replenish the atmosphere with oxygen for us to breathe. In addition, trees make our environment more beautiful with their different colours, flowers and shapes. They give us a sense of peace and invite us to relax. All in all, trees give us a lot and ask for very little in return. These are some of the reasons why trees are valuable to our society.
Trees, which have been in existence for over 400 million years, are the world's largest living creatures. The world's biggest tree, a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) named "General Sherman," stood over 83 metres tall, measured over 31 metres in circumference and weighed about 6,096 tonnes, when it was last measured in 1975! Can you believe that it grew from a seed that weighed only 5 milligrams? That's smaller than a vitamin pill!
While "General Sherman" may be the world's biggest tree, the world's tallest tree is another giant sequoia named "Harry Cole." Harry measures over 112 metres from based to crown - the
height of a 37-story building!
