By MRCA Naturalist Carolyn Everhart

This week’s SCV Outdoor Report draws parallels between trees and superheroes.  Learn the benefits of trees and how tree bark and tree leaves play a role in simple trees being superhero trees.

I love superheroes. I grew up watching them on TV and the recent boom of superhero movies has been great fun to watch. How does this relate to nature you might ask? Simple, trees are just like some of our most famous superheroes.

A crucial element to a superhero is they don’t run away from danger and like all superheroes, trees can’t run from danger either. They are rooted to the ground and have various tricks and tools to survive which would make Batman’s utility belt jealous.

Some trees have a tough outer shell commonly called bark which protects it from water loss, insect attacks, and if thick enough, even fires! It is a defensive armor Iron Man would be proud of.

Another survival tool some plants employ is being deciduous, meaning to lose leaves in a season, as protection from snow or a dry season. Local examples are the Sycamore and Valley Oak.

The more types of plants you look at the more super powers you can find, from Laurel Sumac’s Spiderman like “spider sense” to fold its leaves in the heat of the day to Wild Cucumber’s ability to survive drought or fire with a large tuber much like Captain America is protected behind his shield.

And no conversation about superheroes would be complete without Superman. For those who know some comic book lore, you know Superman gets his power from the Sun and guess what else does? Plants! Plants power themselves through a process called photosynthesis which converts sunlight into chemical energy. This special ability to make their own food allows plants to be the base of the energy pyramid and if you enjoy an apple a day, than you too can be grateful for this particular plant super power. 

The benefits we gain from trees and plants reach far beyond the fruits and vegetables we enjoy each day. The US Forest Service reports “100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year” and trees around your home can “save [you] up to 56% on annual air-conditioning costs”. Superheroes are symbols of hope and goodness, protecting those around them just like trees are.

Trees and plants are amazing and do so many things to help our world, from being the base of the energy pyramid to producing oxygen to simply providing inspiration. But an element to all superhero stories is that they can’t save the world alone. Sometimes our superhero trees need a helping hand, whether it is by carpooling to work or planting a new superhero in our backyard. We can’t expect our Superhero Trees to save the planet all by themselves, occasionally they need a little support from their human sidekicks.

Learn more about the importance of superhero trees by visiting the US Forest Service website.

For the complete MRCA hike and activity schedule and for trail maps, click here or go to www.LAMountains.com.    

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Source: Santa Clarita News
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