In all seasons, from all corners of the globe, trees supply us with so many goods to enhance our lives, directly or indirectly. Wood chemicals and components are found in ice cream, salad dressing, shampoo and toothpaste, just to name a few. Wood chemicals can also be found in cosmetics, photographic films, food additives and fillers for many types of plastics, according to research by Rita Hassert, of the Arboretum’s Sterling Morton Library.

Have a headache? Thanks to willow trees, we have the aspirin option. Trees even help put clothes on our backs. Some types of plant cellulose (including from trees) are used to produce rayon and acetate. These materials are often sewn to make shirts, ties, dresses and suits. Lyocell (also known as Tencel) is also made from wood pulp cellulose, and can be used to create fabric, Hassert says. Additionally, cellophane is derived in part from cellulose, and manufacturers often use cellulose gum to thicken and smooth foods and other items.

Wood pulp makes paper products such as toilet tissue, envelopes, boxes, paper towels, napkins, newspapers and facial tissue, books and, of course, money!

All sorts of sports equipment – such as baseball bats, cricket bats, tennis racquets, ping pong paddles, hockey sticks, oars, snowshoes, lacrosse sticks, billiard equipment sleds and skis – come from trees. And don’t forget musical instruments such as violins, violas, cellos, guitars, pianos, harpsichords and even bagpipes!
 
It can be said that you almost can’t make a pie without a tree, from cherry to apple to lemon, to peach, to pecan – and on it goes.

All these products are in addition to the remarkable benefits from trees. Studies show that trees filter the air, provide oxygen, shade and shelter for us and animals, cut air conditioning and heating costs, add value to our homes, encourage sales in business districts, and much, much more.

So as you enjoy your turkey and trimmings this Thanksgiving weekend, give thanks for all the products and benefits we get from trees. Then, have another slice of grandma’s famous apple and pecan pie!

In the study, 12 healthy men between the ages of 37 and 55 took a three-day, two-night trip to the forest. On the first day, the men spent two hours in the afternoon walking in the forest. On the second day, they walked in the forest for two hours in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon. Blood samples tested on the final two days of the study showed that in 11 of the 12 men there was a 50% increase in natural “killer” cells. These cells are a main component of the immune system and  play an important role in fighting tumors and viruses. Follow-up studies have shown that the positive immune benefits can last up to a month after a visit to the forest.

According to the article, researchers believe that the incease in natural killer cells is in part a response to phytoncides, the essential oils in wood that help protect it from insects and rotting. In Japan, where the studies were first conducted, the practice known as “forest bathing” has become so popular that the govenrment is creating official “forest therapy” sites, and companies are adding “forest therapy” to their health plans.

America’s WILD READ is a virtual book club meant to engage and inspire people to connect with the outdoors and nature.

The WILD READ will feature noted ecologist E.O. Wilson’s first novel Anthill, the story of a boy whose Huck Finn-inspired summer in rural Alabama teaches him deeper understandings of nature and its most ruthless predators, humans.

Why an online book club? Because as we discuss and share the adventures of Anthill, we also want to hear how you connect with nature and what inspired you to become a friend of your local refuge. As Jimmy Fox with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fairbanks, Alaska, so eloquently commented via the WILD READ web site, “Humans are deeply
influenced by stories . . . If we conservationists want a land ethic to flourish, we must tell stories that convey what we know and feel in our hearts – a noble, unselfish concern for others and this planet we call home. If we can’t tell these stories, then we must find those who will tell them for us.” The power of a story can really stir our imaginations, even
as we look hard science in the eye and envision our conservation future.

Anthill introduces us to Raff Cody, who is growing up in the last of the longleaf pine-filled Alabama wildlands, his education, the mentors who inspired him, and the ant colonies that connected him to a better understanding of the natural world. We are along for the ride through his many rites of passage and epic encounters. Our stellar guides on the way include WILD READ discussion moderators Margaret Atwood – famous poet and novelist, Kris Hoellen – a green infrastructure expert with The Conservation Fund, Laura Bies – an attorney with The Wildlife Society, the National Wildlife Federation’s Danielle Brigida, and even an ant expert, Dr. Drew Bell.

Launched by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the WILD READ online conversations about Anthill start this week and you don’t want to miss a minute of it. Visit the WILD READ discussion page today and leave a comment or share your thoughts on today’s questions – be sure to identify yourself by first name and include the name of your “Friends group” (if you have one).

The ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science defines a library as “A collection of material organized to provide physical, bibliographical, and intellectual access to a target group with a staff that is trained to provide services and programs related to the information needs of the target group.” The Sterling Morton Library is a special library focusing on the literature of botany and horticulture, especially as it relates to trees and shrubs that can be grown in northern Illinois. Supporting the programs of Collections, Education and Research at the The Morton Arboretum, the Library is open to all and extends borrowing privileges to Arboretum staff, members and volunteers. Actively participating in that mysterious acronym ILL (interlibrary loan), the Library lends and borrows resources with other libraries.

I pray that no child of mine would ever descend
into such a place as a library. They are indeed
most dangerous places and unfortunate is she or he
who is lured into such a hellhole of enjoyment,
stimulus, facts, passion, and fun.
Willy Russell

The mission of the Arboretum guides us as we collect and organize resources to assist users. The Library has resources on the flora and vegetation of every state and many countries, detailed monographs on plant families and genera, and books on the practice of gardening in temperate zones. In addition, there are collections on natural history, ecology, conservation, soils, plant exploration, botanical illustration, landscape architecture, ornithology, biography, and on the history of botany, and the natural sciences in general. The circulating and reference collections of over 23,000 volumes are enhanced by an extensive collections of journals, a 5,000 volume Rare book collection, a Print collection of more than 8,500 works, and Archives containing documents from May T. Watts; Jens Jensen, landscape designer; Marshall Johnson, Jensen’s successor; and Ossian Cole Simonds, first landscape architect for the Arboretum. Whew! Then there are the more unusual and surprising items found in the Library like our butterfly collection (collected and preserved by Sherman Foote Denton in the early part of the last century), a nursery catalog from William Prince Nursery dated 1771 and children’s books about plants and nature.

Access to knowledge is the superb,
the supreme act of truly great civilizations.
Of all the institutions that purport to do this,
free libraries stand virtually alone in
accomplishing this mission.
Toni Morrison

The foundation of the Arboretum’s Library came from books in the collection of the Morton family and numerous duplicates received from the Arnold Arboretum Library. As he was creating his Midwestern arboretum, Joy Morton consulted with Charles Sprague Sargent, Director of the Arnold Arboretum. With an eye to designing the Arboretum along the classical arrangement of living plant collections, the herbarium and the library, Sargent strongly encouraged Morton to establish a library. Instrumental in helping to develop the early Library, Sargent even recommended and purchased some works for this young collection. While the collection began to grow from the founding of the Arboretum, it was formally gathered and organized in 1963 with the construction of the Harry Weese designed Library building and named in honor of Joy’s son, Sterling Morton. Other members of the Morton family played pivotal roles in the Arboretum’s and specifically the Library’s development and identity. The Library rare book and print collections benefited directly from the interest of Suzette Morton Davidson, daughter of Sterling and granddaughter of Joy Morton. Her keen interest in these collections allowed for their exceptional growth and development.

I have always imagined
that Paradise will be a kind of library.
Jorge Luis Borges

Visitors quickly discover immediately adjacent to the Library is the May T. Watts Reading Garden, named in honor of the gifted author, teacher, and naturalist. A cool fountain, a leafy pergola, and comfortable seating all offer the visitor a green reading oasis. While the Library is open Tuesday through Friday from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-4, the Library’s catalog can be viewed any time/any place at. http://swan.mls.lib.il.us/ As helpful as the Library’s online catalog is, a virtual visit to the Library is a pale substitute for a real visit! You are welcome and encouraged to visit the Sterling Morton Library and use the many resources available.

Written by Rita M. Hassert, Library Collections Manager

How many kinds of plants are there in the world? 100,000? One million? Several million?

Well now we know, or at least have an excellent handle on the number, with the completion of a comprehensive list of the world’s plants: http://www.theplantlist.org/

Colleagues of The Morton Arboretum at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden have collaborated to prepare The Plant List, completion of which was announced yesterday. See the following for more information:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1342699/Kew-Gardens-lists-plant-planet-huge-database-1-25million-names.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

http://www.kew.org/news/plant-list-complete.htm

http://www.mobot.org/events/Assets/10195ThePlantList.pdf

The Plant List includes 300,000 accepted names for plant species, 480,000 synonym names of those species, and another 260,000 plant names that are unresolved without “sufficient evidence to decide if they should be accepted names or synonyms.” The list of 1.25 million plant names also includes 200,000 recognized botanical varieties and other sub-species categories.

So, how many of the 300,000 known plant species are trees?

We asked our friends at Kew, but they told us it’s a difficult question to answer. Surprisingly, the problem lies in the definition of a tree. Perennial plants that produce wood tissue take on many life forms that intergrade from vines to shrubs to trees.

Most estimates suggest that there are about 100,000 species of trees, but we may be getting closer to an actual count of the number of tree species, not just a coarse estimate.

This year, The Morton Arboretum partnered with other groups to ask online retailers, blog writers, and other non-profit organizations to spread the word about buying and giving environmentally friendly products or making donations on behalf of friends and relatives.

More than 20 organizations joined the Green Gift Monday movement, including Amazon, Mother Nature Network, American Red Cross, and TreeHugger, according to the Nature Conservancy, the campaign’s primary promoter.

You can continue to participate by buying or giving green but also by writing blog posts and using social networks to promote the day with the hashtag #GGM2010. You’ll find postings from us on Facebook, Twitter and the Arboretum’s website (see links on Tree Talk home page, upper right).

To get you started, think about these green, gift-giving options at The Morton Arboretum:

• Give the Gift of Membership.
• Choose a Tribute Gift to celebrate, honor and remember.
• Select a special item from the Arboretum Store.
• Adopt-a-Tree for someone you love.

Check out the opportunities at The Morton Arboretum website, or come in to visit. We’re happy to help make your holiday a celebration of green!

Membership Hotline: 630-719-2453
Membersmail@mortonarb.org
Tribute, Adopt-a-Tree, Donations: emazur@mortonarb.org or 630-719-7948
Arboretum Store: 630-719-2454

In 40 years, the average tree returns $2.70 in benefits for every $1 of community investment. And trees improve the quality of the urban environment.

The environmental benefits depend on healthy trees:

The Chicago Urban Forest Climate Project (U.S. Forest Service 1991) was a three-year study of the environmental impacts of the urban forest of the Chicago region. It found that the estimated 50.8 million trees in Cook and DuPage counties combined contributed the following benefits:

1. Trees store an estimated 6.1 million tons of carbon. Further studies led to the estimate that 100 mature trees remove five tons of CO₂from the atmosphere per year, which is equivalent to emissions from one car in a year.

2. The trees in our region remove these pollutants from our air:

3. The estimated value of this pollution removal in 1991 was $9.2 million.

4. Localized air quality improvement could be 5-10% with high tree cover.

5. The U.S. Forest Service estimates 100 trees remove 1,000 lbs. of pollutants per year, worth about $4,500 in emission credits (in the Central Valley of California).

6. Optimally placed landscape shade trees could reduce local cooling energy use for 1.3%, cooling energy use by 7%, and peak cooling energy use by 6%.

7. Increasing the region’s tree canopy by 10% could reduce total heating and cooling energy by 5-10%.

8. Reduced air-conditioning demands avoids CO₂ generated from “peak” energy production, which is usually coal generated in Illinois.

9. The U.S. Forest Service estimates 100 mature trees intercept about 250,000 gallons of rainfall per year in their crowns, reducing runoff of polluted stormwater.

Let’s look at a real example in the photo below. You’ll usually see three lines on the tree tag (the last line on this tag identifies the tree as being specially planted in honor of Arbor Day 2005). The first line contains the common or trade name for the tree used in the Midwest. Also displayed on this line are any trademark names associated with the plant, e.g., ACCOLADE™ Elm.

The second line shows the scientific name of the plant; e.g. Ulmus ‘Morton’. When part of the scientific name is enclosed in quotes, it signifies that the name is a cultivar. That means it is a horticultural selection available in the nursery trade – in this case ‘Morton.’

The third line provides three more pieces of information: the accession number, a symbol signifying the annotation status of the plant, and the location of the plant on the Arboretum grounds.

The accession number is a number given to the plant when it first arrives at the Arboretum, and it is displayed in the lower left of the label, e.g., 1095-2004*3. The accession number is made up of three parts: the yearly sequence number, the year received, and the individual plant number.

The example in the photo means that this plant is in the 1,095th group of plants, it was received in 2004, and this particular plant is the third plant out of the group. Next on the tag, you’ll see an abbreviation following the accession number. It indicates how the accession was received by the Arboretum:

buds – BD
cuttings – CT
divisions – DIV
grafts – GR
layers – LYR
whole plants – PLT
root cuttings – RTCT
seeds – SD
stolons – STLN.

In the next photo, you can see the letter T on the sample tag. It’s at the center of the third line on the tag and indicates that the plant is true-to-name. This means that a member of the Arboretum staff has looked at the plant, compared it with a written description of the name, and verified that it matches the description. If a label does not carry an annotation letter, it has not been verified by our staff. If you ever see an embossed letter “S” in the position of the “T,” it means that the label is one of our older ones, but the “S” has the same meaning as the letter “T”.

Lastly, the location of the plant on the Arboretum grid system is displayed in the lower right of the label, e.g., H-46/47-21. How does that work?

The Arboretum grounds are divided into 100-foot quadrates. Letters indicate grid lines running from south to north, while numbers indicate lines running from west to east. Plant locations are designated from their distance north and east of the point where grid lines intersect. For example, the ACCOLADE™ Elm at H-46/47-21 is located 47 feet North and 21 feet East of the intersection of the H and 46 lines. Staff members at the Visitor Center Information Desk can help you find and locate plants in our collections.

Here’s another look at Arboretum plant labels and how they work.

Here are just a few of those benefits categorized by contributions in the Economic, Environmental, and Social spheres and in Energy Conservation. For the full list and detailed resources, click here.

Economic Contributions
• Research shows that shoppers in well-landscaped business districts are willing to pay more for parking and up to 12% more for goods and services.

• Trees reduce runoff and erosion from storms by about 7% and reduce the need for erosion control structures.

• Desk workers with and without views of nature were surveyed. Those without views of nature, when asked about 11 different ailments, claimed 23% more incidence of illness in the prior 6 months.

• Amenity and comfort ratings were about 80% higher for a tree-lined sidewalk compared with those for a non-shaded street.

Energy Conservation
• The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

• Trees properly placed around buildings as windbreaks can save up to 25% on winter heating costs.

• As few as 3 trees properly positioned can save an average Illinois household about 6.5% of annual heating and cooling costs, or between $100 and $250.

• Rows of trees reduce windspeed by up to about 85%. Dense rows are most effective. Because even a single row of dense conifers significantly reduce windspeed, windbreaks can be effective on relatively small house lots.

Environmental Contributions
• Leafy tree canopies catch precipitation before it reaches the ground, allowing some of it to gently drip and the rest to evaporate. This lessens the force of storms and reduces runoff and erosion. Research indicates that 100 mature tree crowns intercept about 100,000 gallons of rainfall per year, reducing runoff and providing cleaner water.

• Trees reduce noise pollution by absorbing sounds. A belt of trees 98 feet wide and 49 feet tall can reduce highway noise by 6 to 10 decibels.

• A typical community forest of 10,000 trees will retain approximately 10 million gallons of rainwater per year.

Social Contributions
• Trees in urban parks and recreation areas are estimated to improve outdoor leisure and recreation experiences in the United States by $2 billion per year.

• Trees reduce crime. Apartment buildings with high levels of greenery had 52% fewer crimes than those without any trees. Buildings with medium amounts of greenery had 42% fewer crimes.

• Hospital patients recovering from surgery who had a view of a grove of trees through their windows required fewer pain relievers, experienced fewer complications, and left the hospital sooner than similar patients who had a view of a brick wall.

• Americans travel about 2.3 billion miles per day on urban freeways and highways. Studies show drivers exposed to roadside nature scenes had a greater ability to cope with driving stresses.

For a full list of benefits and the supporting resources, click here.