GS 3 – Environment
Context
New ecological research highlights that trees are not passive entities. Instead, they are active participants in environmental processes, playing a vital role in shaping ecosystems through air cleansing, carbon sequestration, water redistribution, and maintaining biodiversity.
This concept, often described as the “Wood Wide Web”, shows how trees are interconnected through underground root systems and fungi networks (mycorrhizae), enabling them to share resources, communicate, and support each other, especially under stress.
Key Highlights
Environmental Importance of Trees
- Trees play a crucial role in:
- Air purification by absorbing pollutants.
- Carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gases.
- Regulation of water cycles through root networks.
- Preventing soil erosion and desertification.
- Recent studies emphasize that trees shape the environment actively, rather than simply responding to it.
New Research on Tree Networks
- Research by Harriet Rik, author of The Genius of Trees (2025), shows:
- Trees communicate underground using fungi and root networks.
- There are an estimated 60 trillion trees globally.
- These networks allow trees to share nutrients, water, and chemical signals, similar to how neurons work in a brain.
- When humans emerged 40,000 years ago, trees had already evolved complex interdependent systems.
Vital Consciousness & Interconnectedness
- Books like Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Tero Allen highlight:
- Trees have an innate intelligence, allowing them to adapt and survive collectively.
- They redistribute water underground, effectively acting as “water managers” of the ecosystem.
- When forests are destroyed, these relationships collapse, impacting climate resilience.
Cultural & Traditional Knowledge
- Indigenous and cultural traditions have long revered trees for their sacred role in maintaining balance.
- Vasudha Rai’s upcoming book, Sacred: The Mysticism, Science, Recipes and Rituals, explores:
- How ancient wisdom classified certain trees like peepal, banyan, neem, and rudraksha as divine.
The blend of scientific understanding and traditional practices, reinforcing why these trees are crucial for sustainable living.