What is a tree? 

This is a question that I posed in my Presentation at Forum. Having given the official definition “ It is a perennial woody plant, having a main trunk and usually a distinct crown” I produced a very fine example aka my wife, Lion Barbara in tree disguise.

The tree planting competition is now gaining momentum with Aldridge Club planting 400 plus trees on Saturday November 19th . Sandwell Lions will be planting over 900 trees on Sunday 20th -who will be the next big planter? Don't be beaten and don't forget to send your returns and photos in, there is still plenty of time.

Think of the advantages gained from participating in this project, it is a perfect way to gain some publicity and media cover. Why stop at your local press? why not some local T V & radio coverage — can you get a local celebrity to open your tree planting session?

This is also a wonderful opportunity to leave a lasting legacy of your club. Think of the benefits that trees provide; apart from enhancing and beautifying our landscapes and gardens,the obvious advantages are of providing habitat for wild life, they provide shade, fruit, fuel and the commodity that trees are all about - wood. Where would we be without it and how would our dogs cope without trees? Christmas would not be the same without our decorated Christmas trees. Trees also help the environment in that they breath-in carbon dioxide (a green house gas) and breath out oxygen, being the opposite of lungs.

De-forestation and destruction through mining, industry, logging and exploitation by industrial countries combined with disease (remember Dutch Elm disease?) decimates the tree population to the detriment of both environment, wildlife and our way of life. We are now threatened with a new disease, Ramorum, which is resulting in the premature felling of thousands of trees in the UK. To exacerbate this destruction the British government plan to increase the burning of Biomass fuel(sawdust to you and me) in power stations to something in the order of 7 million tonnes per year, mostly sourced in the UK. Compare this to the total annual production of wood in the UK which is about 11 million tonnes. Decimation of tropical rain forests has resulted in some species, like ebony, mahogany and teak and other hard woods being considered to be endangered species, resulting in import quotas being imposed. Fortunately most wood used is softwood, that is in general from coniferous trees which grow to maturity in approximately 20 to 50 years whereas hard wood can take up to 200 years to achieve a usable size.

I have circulated my list of contacts who have schemes providing trees, The Woodlands Trust are now taking applications for trees to be planted in the Queen's Jubilee year 2012, all packages will contain a Jubilee Oak sapling, and there must be many more local providers who could be contacted. As to where to plant, your first contact could always be the parks department of your local council followed by Schools, hospitals, residential care homes and the like, and don't be deterred if your club does not participate because there are schemes for individuals to plant trees as well, as memorials or for special occasions.

So I am not asking you to talk to, or hug trees just to PLANT them.

Lion Bob Dutton
District Environment Officer