Trees were once considered sacred and awe-inspiring: Oaks were worshiped by the European Druids, redwoods were a part of American Indian ritual, and baobabs a part of African tribal life. Ancient Chinese records describe the Ginkgo biloba as a living fossil tree. The ancient Romans and scholars during the Middle Ages venerated trees in their literature.
Today we often admire trees for utilitarian reasons: They produce oxygen, clean the soil, control noise pollution, and slow storm water runoff. The products derived from them, such as paper, continue to be vital to modern society, despite our increasingly virtual world. Trees, of course, provide us shade, and shelter many species of birds, animals, and insects. But they are also aesthetically pleasing.
