I love trees, I try to share one a week. I try to connect with trees. Ever since the Sycamore Gap tree was illegally fell, people are worried that it’ll happen again. The fellers won. Those who chop down protected trees have won. The saws, chainsaws, and axes are worn by us now. That’s such a shame. Our trees need championing. They are great to hug.

Baby tree saplings seem to be in cages. Protected from vandalism and caged micro-sanctuaries. Bark, earth, and stones allow flowers and weeds to profit and flourish. The cages age and dent and twist away over time. The teenage trees burst through. There are many examples in many parks of trees escaping their youthful guards. In my local park, a Sycamore Gap has hit a staggering metre or so tall. Its small number of leaves wave in the breeze and offer a ray of delightful hope. Manchester’s parks are scattered around and it is good to see new trees. We need more.

Hugging trees is a connection that shouldn’t be laughed at. To feel the rough or smooth barks, so many different kinds, and all unique to that spot of that piece of tiny land. Some resemble each other. Many offer shelter to insects, preying spiders, lichens, mosses, and countless microscopic lives. As many juvenile humans detach from nature, trees offer coolness on hot days. That shade and cooling factor can be brought to streets and roads adding to carbon dioxide absorption. Adding much-needed oxygen production to areas that support life. Our climate is better regulated with trees at the heart.

Air pollution goes down with trees. Trees, with their roots, bond the earth and spils reducing spil erosion. They support wildlife habitats – some locally unique and others part of a wider global tapestry. That enhances biodiversity and allows support for the water cycle. The filters and layers of protection a tree offers are humongous. On top of that trees muffle sound and offer protection against noise pollution. Having a neighbour who has just chopped two trees down, I hear that difference. Tweeting birds happily perching has been replaced by a road a few hundred metres away. Whilst infrequently-heard, it is now an annoyance. Trees matter.

Alongside rivers, with or without beavers, trees add to flood risk reduction. A well-managed tree can offer property value increases. Just ensure no branches or roots opt to move in with you. And like the countryside, a tree offers landscape beauty. We often, as kids, draw a house with a chimney and a tree next door. We know the trees matter. The chimneys may disappear in time. Our mental well-being sees the benefit of trees. More trees now!

Many trees are fast-growing and can be replaced as fast as they are chopped, allowing for renewable resources if managed correctly. Trees can provide foods such as apples and pears, nuts, olives, and so on. Another layer to the environmentally sustainable lifestyle many of us crave. A park with trees offers recreation and outdoor life for our enjoyment. When did you last plant a tree?