Man has been appreciating trees since the dawn of civilization. As early as the Egyptian times, trees were important in cities. Those Egyptians were probably the first to transplant trees. By so doing they provided themselves with shade and cooler temperatures in the arid climate of the Nile river basin. Sharing the same passion were the Babylonians and the Persians who respected trees as sacred objects to be worshipped. The Greeks, on the other hand, carefully studied the maintenance of trees, whilst the Romans considered trees valuable especially along the driveways.
Trees continued their decorative function into the Renaissance, which saw palaces, churches and walled cities being planted with trees. Green parks soon became the reflection of the degree of civilization in a country. The more civilized the country, the greater and more numerous the use of trees. Gradually, trees became vital elements of living space and urban design. Greens are recognized as a necessity for the visual and psychological comfort of urban dwellers, besides sustaining the urban ecology. Cities like Berlin, Paris, London, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver are notable examples of thriving cities that use trees on their city streets.
Regrettably, the effort to create more green parks in cities and the conservation of forests is not being envisaged in many modern cities. The reason being commercialism rules. Pockets of green areas in cities are sacrificed to give way to the so-called development. And the integration of greens into the development process is not a priority.
Many people believe that the creation of city parks and forest reserves is only for aesthetics and recreational reasons. Such a myopic view has probably contributed to the lack of appreciation towards the greens from the people. But many are not aware that green areas in cities have a huge range of benefits to offer.
One of the most important benefits that green areas have to offer is the provision of a healthier living environment, which in turn results in the improvement in quality of life of the city folks. Trees or plants in general absorb pollutants, rainwater, heat and noise. Pollutants like carbon, sulfur dioxide, dirt, pollen, smoke and odours are trapped by plants, thereby decreasing the health hazard of living and breathing in cities. Apart from that, green parks and forest in cities also serve as grounds for absorbing rainwater, and for purifying and replenishing the groundwater. Another feature of plants is that they transpire water just like air-conditioners. This explains why cities with lots of plants are generally cooler and tend to have more stable temperatures. The acoustical control of plants, on the other hand, makes city life more bearable as noise is reduced through the breaking up of sound waves by plants.
To add to what has been mentioned above, the absorption of rainwater by plants also helps to control flooding in cities. Without plants, huge amounts of rainwater have only the drains to fill up. The frequent occurrence of flash floods in cities explains this best. Besides floods, plants prevent erosion too. In other words, plants maintain the soil, water and organic matter. This reduces siltation in water bodies. Experience has proven to us again and again that the clearing of forests, especially at the edge of hills, has resulted in landslides. Ironically, when a disaster such as that occurs, the culprit seems to be nature, though every Tom, Dick and Harry knows who the real culprit is.
The conservation of biological diversity or biodiversity can also be achieved by creating more city parks and conserving the forests in cities. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth and the natural pattern it forms. Such conservation efforts should not be taken lightly. One reason is that biological conservation will sustain the ecosystem in cities. Another is that the effort will boomerang positively for the development of the biotechnology industry. Our ecosystem is too complex to comprehend as everything depends on everything for survival in this complex web of life. So, when a disturbance of ecosystem occurs, certain species of plants and animals that are not able to adapt to the changes will become extinct. Extinction of species is irreversible and is a loss to the nation. This is because that extinct species could have been valuable to us and their loss could mean a loss of luxury that is to be discovered. It is vital that we all should willingly support the effort to conserve biodiversity.
Green areas also act as indicators of the health of the city. By studying the species richness and the behaviour of plants and animals in green areas, scientists are able to gauge the health of cities. The information is especially important to town managers and town planners for it can be used to improve the planning and management of cities. Good management of cities is a prerequisite for creating a healthy living environment for the people.
Green areas in cities are best known for their aesthetics and recreational values. Cities without plants can be cold, dull and can lack the sense of life. Conversely, cities with plants are generally more humane. In the context of aesthetics, plants break up the lines and planes of hard surfaces and relate people to their environment. Apart from beautifying the cities, they also humanize the cityscape and add a living dimension to it.
Many in the cities will turn to green areas for recreation. Parks and forest reserves provide people with space to relax, play, socialize and exercise. They foster community cohesion, too. Such a healthy living style is vital for a healthy mental and emotional development among the people, especially the young children. When relating oneself to nature and getting back to the ABC�s, one is able to find peace and comfort even in the hectic city life when there is green around.
In the field of education, green parks and forest reserves can serve as educational as well as research grounds for students. They offer a medium for students to study and learn about ecology and other mysteries in nature. As the saying goes � we don�t protect what we don�t love, and we don�t love what we don�t appreciate, and we don�t appreciate what we don�t understand. What is crucial about such environmental education is, its ability to generate environmental awareness and to cultivate environmental ethics amongst young people. They are, after all, the inheritors of what we have today.
It is apparent that our land use ethics are still governed wholly by economic self-interest. The efforts to green the cities have, up untill now, received insufficient attention. Greater emphasis should therefore be placed by integrating the natural element into the dimension of our development process so that cities can be sustainable in the long run. The romantic relationship between man and nature should never be broken.