Water is vital to the continued good health of human beings; more important, clean, toxin-free drinking water is vital to our continued existence. Our bodies consist of around 70% water and if we do not drink water regularly we become dehydrated and cannot function optimally.
What most individuals do not readily understand is that trees are sacrosanct; their continued existence is vital for our safe, clean drinking water.
Healthy, well-managed natural forests provide us with crisp, fresh drinking water- when these forests are neglected or destroyed the quality of our drinking water supply is negatively affected.
Much of our fresh water is underground, and without forests these water resources will dry up and cease to exist. Rainfall is absorbed by the forests, and is cleansed and cooled as it travels through the forest, after which it then refills underground aquifers.
Some trees actually also break down pollutants like pesticide, metals and solvents found in groundwater, urban soils, and runoff.
High-lying areas known as watersheds carry water runoff downhill into various bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and streams; freshwater springs are a good example of forestland watersheds. Trees are also needed to act as barriers that contain storm-water runoff by absorbing excess water that would normally rush through gutters and pipes, in their leaves and roots.
It is for these reasons that those of us who appreciate that we need to look after nature are always fighting against companies that want to chop down our lush green forests in the name of progress, to mine, to make paper, to frack, and for whatever other ridiculous reason.
Trees provide us with shade, clean air, shelter, and fresh drinking water, so we really must all think a bit more about how we treat nature and look after our trees, even in our own gardens.
