Trees: The Engine of Our Economy

By Lindsey Neuwirth, Safina Center Intern

Photo via wikimedia commons by Emmanuel Huybrechts

I open my eyes, to see my sister poking me. Her face is ghost white as she urges me over to the window. As I glimpse out, I am suddenly wide awake. To my surprise, the once towering oak tree that used to shade our yard, is no longer standing tall. Its roots are ripped up and sticking out parallel to the ground, leaving a gaping hole behind, its thick trunk spread out into our neighbor’s backyard. It was not until this moment, now that the tree was horizontal, that I realized how large it really was.

 The next day I watched as the landscapers slowly began to break the tree down into smaller pieces of wood and carry them out of the yard. It was disheartening to see something that was once so mighty and large, become so small. A tree that watched my childhood unfold, suddenly gone with one large gust of wind. At the time I didn’t realize it, but that tree held so much more value than its beastly size ever led on. Underneath its exquisite allure, lies a whole realm of benefits that are present through the function of its pure existence. These assets are formally known as ecosystem services, or the positive benefits that an ecosystem provides to us. Ecosystem services were apparent by my backyards great oak tree that once stood tall, providing a wealth of oxygen to the atmosphere, its beauty as it shaded the yard, and even the wood from its branches for fuel long after it fell.  

 To address such benefits in a global context, a new study published in the PLOS Sustainability and Transformation Journal put a monetary value of ecosystem services that are provided by trees. The research analyzed five key ecosystem services provided by over 400 trees across the United States. These services include climate and air quality regulation, production of wood products, food crops, and Christmas trees. The study found that trees provide an estimated total value of 114 billion dollars per year. Over half  of this value, stems from the benefits of climate change regulation through carbon storage by trees, 37 percent was represented by air quality regulation and the rest represented by provisions, otherwise known as physical things that are supplied to us by the trees. It’s important to note that the study most likely undervalued trees because it did not include the assets of aesthetics and recreational services provided by trees. Global tree populations reach 3.04 trillion trees, if 400 trees are valued at 114 billion dollars, imagine the value of 3.04 trillion.

 Unfortunately, this economic gain may be short-lived. Globally, half of forest populations have disappeared through the combined effects of deforestation, forest fires, and rampant pests and diseases–all issues that are becoming more prevalent with climate change.

Photo via pxhere.com

 Tree populations are at risk. For the sake of our global economy and environment we need to protect our forests. Although some ecosystem services are not as visually obvious as others, recognizing and assessing the value of what our environment can provide is important. I didn’t realize how much I missed the great oak tree from my backyard until it was gone, we cannot let the same happen with our global tree population. Quantifying the economic value of nature can be crucial to combatting environmental issues. Policy makers are motivated by real numbers and dollar values, so by assigning value to ecosystem services, they are more likely to make a positive change. By safeguarding ecosystem services, the human population can also secure the sustainability of these resources for the future.