About half of the greenhouse effect is caused by CO2. Trees act as a carbon sink by removing the carbon from CO2 and storing it as cellulose in the trunk while releasing the oxygen back into the air. Trees also reduce the greenhouse effect by shading our homes and office buildings. This reduces air conditioning needs up to 30 percent, thereby reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned to produce electricity. This combination of CO2 removal from the atmosphere, carbon storage in wood, and the cooling effect makes trees a very efficient tool in fighting the greenhouse effect.
Trees create organic matter on the soil surface from their leaf litter.
Their roots increase soil permeability. Reduced surface runoff of water from storms . Reduced soil erosion and sedimentation of streams. . Increased ground water recharge that is significantly reduced by paving. . Lesser amounts of chemicals transported to streams. .