HOW TREES ARE NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Improves air quality
Trees act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2, and leaves filter pollutants from the air.
Reduces temperature
Leaves provide shade, they also cool the air through evapotranspiration.
Reduce noise
Leaves and branches absorb sound.
Habitat for wildlife
Leaves, roots, and trunks provide a habitat for birds, mammals, and insects. They also support interaction between humans and wildlife which is key to humans’ well-being.
Provide coverage
Branches and leaves reduce windspeed and block rainfall.
Improve community health
Trees can positively impact people’s physical and mental health, as they increase people’s propensity to walk, be active, and socialize outside.
Drainage system
Roots can prevent soil erosion and reduce flood risk.
Over time we have seen an increase in urbanization where more of the world’s population live in cities. We are removing natural landscapes to make more room for infrastructure such as cement skyscrapers and sidewalks that over time become more costly, are less defendable against extreme weather, and trap heat.
The planet is heating, and with cities trapping heat through building materials, infrastructure density, and high energy consumption they can be 1 to 3 Celcius degrees warmer. Surfaces such as black asphalt can absorb up to 95% of the sun’s energy.
Instead, we need to learn how to build communities and living spaces that not only work with the natural environment but can mimic trees, because they already act as natural infrastructure. They are low cost and have long-term benefits, while simultaneously improving social and environmental wellbeing. They play a vital role in the sustainability and health of every community with both local and global environmental impacts.
Traditional raw earth construction techniques of Asante traditional architecture are a perfect example of learning from nature. Their courtyard houses were well adapted to the conditions of life and climate of the area. These buildings were constructed using a timber framework plastered with mud and high steeped pitched roofs covered with thatch. This construction allowed for cool ventilation, and natural lighting, and could weather storms.