Resilience - Contribute.

Plants contribute goods and services for people and the planet.

Plant Science Concept:

People and the planet depend on plants to provide the goods and services (called “ecosystem services”) necessary for a healthy, functioning ecosystem capable of resilience in the face of change. Plants provide oxygen, food, medicine, clean air, and clean water, habitat for animals, nourishment for pollinators, and partnership with soil microbes essential for decomposition waste, fixing nitrogen and returning other nutrients to the soil. They also hold soil in place to prevent erosion, reduce the urban heat island effect, and regulate global climate by pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. All this while also offering humans pleasant fragrance, inspiring color, and beauty! What would we do without them?

Horticultural Applications:

Trees are among the largest and longest-lived organisms on earth. As such, the benefits trees provide often position them in a community as the most generous. As an example, they not only sequester carbon, pulling carbon dioxide out of the air and reducing greenhouse gases directly, but they also keep the carbon locked away in the wood. Additionally, large trees placed near homes shade the structure and reduce energy consumption for cooling. This reduces carbon emissions locally and supports climate regulation globally. When planning a landscape, prioritize trees (especially large, long-lived, and low water use species) which will contribute more benefits to the environment and the community. This practice of reducing inputs and maximizing outputs (benefits) is the key to sustainability.

Related Student Views, Cultural Associations and Folklore:

"There are many poems and stories that describe our relationship on how we work together with plants. One that stood out to me since I was a child was a book called "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. This story is about a tree that gives to a young boy whatever he needs through his adolescent years and into his adulthood. The tree gives and gives to this boy until all of the tree's resources are used up. Eventually, the boy uses up all the plant has to give. The story ends with the sense that the plant was fulfilled and content with its supporting role in the boy's life, but I am left to wonder how the boy (now a man) would continue to exist without his tree-mendous benefactor. It seems to me, that the interdependence of plants and humans is woven into the fabric of our human civilization and even within our bodies. Consider, for example, that humans even developed receptors in our bodies to recognize and use certain plant chemicals. We are connected on so many levels. However, since plants cannot speak, it is up to us to create a platform of education to spread their wisdom and knowledge that they possess." ~Jack Stanis, B.S. Wildlife Conservation, Class of 2024

“Plants provide goods and services that support life on earth. Plants clean air and filter water, bacteria decompose wastes, bees pollinate flowers, and tree roots hold soil in place to prevent erosion. All these processes work together to make earth’s ecosystems clean, sustainable, functional, and resilient to change. All plants and animals in our garden will contribute in different ways. Just as it takes various skills and knowledge to build a viable city (architects, civil engineers, doctors, law enforcement, teachers, etc.), a variety of plants and animals support the functions of living communities on planet earth. Plants, for example, provide air filtration, waste decomposition, biological pest control, prevent soil erosion, and protect water quality, support pollinators, and produce food, medicine, textiles, and medicines.” ~Brody Fisher, B.S. Geography, Class of 2024